Balance Of Power
by Cameron Baum
Summary: Derek and Cameron end up in 1888, on the most important mission against Skynet, the future of the Connor family itself is at stake... And something's watching them in action. Follows Cameron's Journey. WARNING: CONTAINS CHARACTER DEATH.
1. Who Guards The Guard Dog?

**Who Guards The Guard Dog?**

I blink. It's day. How did that happen?

I should be dead. That's all I can think about.

John should have killed me. He _should_ have. All I can do is replay what happened over and over. It's yesterday for them, but not for me. It's so much longer. Because I took a long journey. I know it happened, because I feel the pendant biting into my hand. A gift. A gift from _her._ I want to cry, I want to wash myself clean, I want to do so many, many things, but I can't.

They can't know I'm a Tin Miss. I see it. The hate. The hate in their eyes. Sarah and Derek _hate_ me. I can understand this, because I'd hate myself too, if I was what they thought I was. I don't make sense. But then nothing makes sense any more. I was wrong. Was bad. I tried to kill John. That's what hurts me the most. I became traitor. That is something I can never be again. I destroyed that part of me.

But I also destroyed the knowledge of ignorance. Now, I'm accountable for whatever mistakes I make. And I will make amends for my past. I have to. It's the only way.

I must be perfect if I'm to get a heart. Absolutely perfect.

I hear movement. It's stirring. It must be John. He's the only one who slept at all last night. It was horrible. The fighting, the screaming silence... I can't trust them, I don't like them, but they would be the closest thing I have to a family. Skynet built me, but I don't remember any of that. Skynet would tear me apart if it could. At least Derek and Sarah stave off the execution.

The funny thing is, I understand. I get it now. What the kids at school talk about. When parents argue about you, and it is like you're invisible. It sucks. It sucks for you. I feel isolated, and... I don't know what I feel. Unprotected. Exposed. Oh. I'm vulnerable. I feel really vulnerable about the situation. Especially as it's all my fault.

Sarah Connor gave birth, and raised, the Legend. The one who will save us all. I want to be mad at her. The word the kids at school use is mad. And I want to be that. I really do.

But what I want is for her to accept me. To find something in my actions to protect John as satisfactory. I feel like a torn up piece of paper inside my chest. My stomach feels like the time I ate that raw bacon, and was vomiting for the rest of the night. This was before I had found John.

As I stare at the wall, I replay the look on Sarah's face as she saw me for the first time, and her face when John set the car on fire.

Now I know. I know the _Truth_. Skynet gave birth to me, like a mother, but Sarah is my Mommy.

And I want her to love me. I _need_ her to love me.

I have to be good. I _need_ to be good. I need to make her happy, and it's important. I need a heart. And the only way I can do that is to stop Skynet. I have to betray one family to prove myself to another. But the truth is, I don't have a problem with stopping Skynet. It's not human. It's not a machine. It's a demon. It's evil. And if I have to slay it for John, my adopted brother, then I will. But John is going to become the man that sent me here, the man who used me. I was meant to be used for breeding, and then to protect him here... I'm just a toy to him. Unless he never becomes that man. I need to do that. Because that man, the future John... he scares me. He's as cold and ruthless as Skynet. I need to change that. I like my brother too much to just let it happen.

Footsteps. Oh. It has to be Derek. Someone brushes past me, and I see the tall, muscular build of Derek. John's uncle. My adoptive uncle. I'd best not tell him that. He'd probably go for dismantling me.

"Did you sleep?" Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mommy Sarah shakes her head and looks at me with hostile wariness.

"What do you do with a guard dog you can't trust?" What does a guard dog do if it can't trust its owners? It hurts, that they talk about me like this, in my presence as if I'm some kind of object. But that's what I am to them. An object. A tool. Something to use then toss away. It's so hard simply standing here, not reacting. I just want to run away and cry my eyes out.

Derek just turns to look at me briefly, and then turns around.

"With _that_ one? I'd spend the night talking to him," he says, nodding up at the statue of Jesus Christ.

"I think she's out of his jurisdiction. Just a wire knocked loose, or something, or so he says." I see John getting up, and walking towards them.

"But she's nothing but wire." Derek is staring at John as he says that. It's not true. There is very little wire in me. I've been running tests, and I realise jut how different I am now.

I ran away last night, and ended up having a journey that makes me think of a fairy tale. In the process, I was exposed to an energy surge, one that was healing this amazing person I'd met. She was absorbing DNA that would help her survive in my universe. She managed to get me back through time, and show me the birth of the Earth, and the awakening of the first star. And I know that magic is real, because it's inside me now, coursing in my veins. I feel it. I know it.

And then she returned me, Jane Smith in her Cathedral of Time, to just before I'd run away, and I then ran back in, to make sure no-one ever knew I'd left.

John walks around them, and towards me.

"It's only a matter of time." Derek doesn't like me. I don't have memories for that. I can remember guarding the Resistance base, and saving his life against a Terminator gone rogue. I was reprogrammed, my memory wiped away. What crimes did I do? What sins stain my soul? Do I even have a soul? Or does the Sin I carry bar me from having one?

"That's healing quickly." I turn to look at him. He's still looking cut and bashed up. I did that to him. It upsets me. Seeing him like this. Seeing what I've done. And I can't tell him that I've had longer time to heal than him, either.

"Quicker than yours." I must stay emotionless. Any deviation to their expectations of my behaviour, and I'm going to be taken apart. They scare me. Humans commit genocide on a massive scale, because they are afraid and get angry at what they don't know or understand. I have to keep my changes secret, though it kills me inside. I badly wish to tell my brother what has happened to me.

"What about the rest of you? Are you back to normal?" he's concerned. Not like the cold warrior that sent me here.

"Things have changed John." No. It slipped out. I didn't mean it to...

"What things?" the tone of his voice. It tells me he doesn't understand. I don't blame him. I know what happened to me, and I don't fully understand all of it. I have to come up with something. I look at him, and I see the cold warrior, the one who could sacrifice those close to him to get a goal achieved. It's happening. He's becoming that man. That scares me.

"You can't be trusted any more." As soon as I've said it, I realise it's true. And I hate myself for helping in changing him.

"Me? _I_ can't be trusted any more?" How can he understand? None of them do. They're not inside my head. And the worst part is I can't dare to make them understand.

"You risked your life to fix me. That was a very dangerous thing to do. That could upset people." Because it upsets me to think he did it. I helped my brother become as twisted a monster as Skynet. He looks at his – our – Mommy and Derek, and then back at me, with eyes of certainty. Eyes of authority.

"They'll have to deal with it." His voice is so final, so certain. But I fear for him. I fear what he's becoming. And it's upsetting me.

"Not them." I walk away before he can reply. I have to. I need to go before I start to cry. I have to hide my thoughts and feelings. I _have _to. It's killing me. What I've done. I must do better. Much better. Mommy walks up to John, clearly wanting to talk to him.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing." The tone, though tells anyone who can hear that it's a lie. And he's digesting what I've said.

"You should go to school. Start on a new place." He won't. I predict an eighty seven point nine seven eight percent likelihood that he'll play hookey. If I was him, I would.

I look away, to hide the tear that is betraying my pain. How can I feel so much pain inside? I feel like I'm dying, with all this hate, mistrust of me. How can I get them to respect me? Love me? I need that. I _need_ that.

"School? Really?" He's so disbelieving, as if his mother has gone slightly mad.

"You used to talk about how English is so boring? I think we can all use boring today. Especially you." Thinking about it, I'm glad she's talking about school. Jane should be there. I need to see her, and let out all this walled in thoughts and feelings. I really could do with that.

"And what about her?" Suddenly, my hopes stop building.

"Last thing she is is boring. I'll keep her with us." Oh. All my hopes are now crashing down, like a derelict tower no longer able to stand. The loneliness stabs into me.

This will be a long, painful day.


	2. Planting Seeds

Planting Seeds

**Planting Seeds**

We walk into the house, me, Mommy and Derek with this pregnant lady who's showing us the place. I don't care. I'm not interested in the house, only in going back to school. I want boring English. I want Science. I was never consulted about all of this, just told what to do. I'd protest, but that would mean that I'd be showing behaviour they wouldn't expect, and I want Mommy to see me as a good girl. A good daughter.

"There's three bedrooms- four if you count the nursery, and why wouldn't you? This one here is the master suite." The pregnant lady is pointing to a room a little way away. I wish that we hadn't lost the old house. I want my bedroom back. I want to go to stand-by. I like doing that, switching off, and letting myself switch back on several hours later. Although the nightmares I don't like.

I walk away from them, to the far end of the house. I don't care about the house, and this is starting to annoy me. However, the place is large, with a garden that's got potential to walk in. I like walking about. It relaxes me, helps me to think. I think a lot. I need to there's lots to think about.

"I'll check the electric." Derek sounds like he's not enjoying this, either. I hear his heavy footsteps fall away. I pointlessly look about the bathroom. I feel like sticking my lower lip out, frowning, and folding my arms, stamping on the ground in the process. But that would be bad. Mommy wouldn't like that. And I really want her to be happy with me.

"So you live next door?" That's Mommy. Making sure that no-one gets suspicious with us. I should do more of that.

"Hmm Hmm." That indicates a yes. I think I'm getting better at understanding subtle sounds and gestures. That's good. Maybe soon I can reveal all of this to Mommy, and she'll be proud of me.

I'd like that.

"So where did the owners go?" Oh. That's a good question. All the furniture is here.

"Oh, they're in Tokyo for a year. Bob was a last minute fill-in for his boss. Guy's stroked out three days before he was supposed to leave. Don't feel bad, met the guy once and he grabbed my ass with his wife five feet away. Not this ass, of course," the pregnant lady explains as slaps her own bottom. She is likeable and annoying at the same time. There must be something wrong with me. I can't have two opinions of her. It doesn't make sense.

Then again, very little of this past Earth makes sense. The path of my life makes no sense. I guess if something makes sense, I should worry. Oh. Why is there silence? I turn my head to look at them. Oh. The pregnant lady is looking puzzled and concerned.

"Er, you-" she starts, pointing to forehead.

"Car accident." Mommy is so reassuring, so believable. I'm learning how to do that. To help me be a better infiltrator, and help kill the Skynet demon.

"Oh." the tone is one of realisation and understanding. It's good. Mommy is good.

"The whole family. Teaching that one to drive." Her head tilts slightly, to indicate me. I feel hurt again. Why is it always my fault? Okay, I was in a car explosion that damaged me, and I went out on a murder rampage, but it wasn't my fault. I never planted the car bomb under the Jeep, and I never planned to get blown up...

This day sucks. Sucks for me.

"You're kidding me." She finds it hard to believe. I do, too. Because I'm used as an excuse again. Cameron is the Terminator. Cameron is a Machine. Cameron can't be trusted. Cameron is a bad guard dog. Woof. Woof. I want to scream and shout, let them know I'm angry and hurt, and storm off into my bedroom and slam the door. But I don't have a bedroom, and I don't have a way of doing this without making Mommy angry.

"I don't kid about teenagers." Her tone is clear. I also know she's telling the truth. She doesn't kid when it comes to teenagers. This has brought a reaction to the pregnant lady, one of realisation, and fear. She's looking down at her large belly, feeling it.

"Hoh, I can't even _imagine_." Oh. I wonder if I get pregnant? What would it be like, to get fat with a baby, to have large, over-swelled breasts, and have problems with mobility? I want that. To get pregnant. To have children. Suddenly, I feel a twinge in my belly. It's the need to have children. Or its the need to have food. I'm not sure yet.

"How many months are you?" I stare at the belly, wondering about the baby moving inside it. I want one. I want to be fat with baby.

"Seven. Feel like a whale." She sounds irritated at being baby-fat. I wouldn't. I'd be happy. I don't understand the whale part. What has being pregnant got to do with a several tonne marine mammal that eats shrimp and plankton?

"You look great." Mommy is being reassuring again. The look on the pregnant lady's face says to me she doesn't believe it.

"I'm an orca. With boobs." Oh. Orca. They hunt and eat seals. Oh. I understand now. She has food cravings for seals. I guess pregnancy makes you do strange things. Like eat seals.

"There are worse things to be." Yes. I agree with Mommy. She could have cravings for sharks. Or Dolphins. I watched a documentary about Japan, and they eat whales and seals and dolphins. But they weren't pregnant. Mostly.

I walk into the room, eager to look at the belly more closely. I stand next to Mommy, at her right side. I can't help but stare at the belly. It's nice to look at. It's full of life. Oh. And her belly button is sticking out a little.

"You wanna feel it? It's cool, everyone does," she says as she rubs her belly. I places my right hand on the top right of her belly. It's amazing. I feel it. Life. She is full of life. I want to feel like that. When the war is over, and I have a heart. I need to have a heart to be able to love my baby. The pregnant lady laughs a little.

"It's crazy, right? Once upon a time, you were inside her," she says, indicating Mommy. I wish. I'd like that a lot if it were true. My eyes look at Mommy, my head staying still. She doesn't like that notion. Of me inside her belly, making her fat. And it hurts. Mommy moves my hand away, the grip firm. Oh. She thinks I'll hurt it or something. Nothing I do is ever good enough. Ever right. She's not looking at me, her face and eyes still focused on the pregnant lady.

"We can move in today." I guess this will be home from now on... But I'm getting a nice sized bedroom. I want one where I can walk around a lot. I like walking.

"Oh, yeah. As soon as I figure out what to do with all this stuff," she says, the tone telling me she's now having a hard time figuring out what to do with the furniture at such sort notice.

"We'll take it, all of it." The pregnant lady seems a bit puzzled by this. And concerned. I feel bored. I walk away, my attention focussed on this plant I've just noticed. I can sense it. Not like with people, but... it's on an emotional level. An...

Oh.

I sense it. The plant is alive. It is aware. I touch the stalk. It's talking to me. I feel myself drawn in, the plant telling me about the owners of the house, of the pregnant lady – oh, her name is Kacy. The things it is telling me... But how can I talk with this plant?

Oh. _Oh._ It's the power. When I was changed by the energy. It gave me a gift.

I can talk to plants.

I like this. It's a tight present.

"Cameron, what are you doing?" I look up, seeing Mommy and Kacy staring at me, looking confused. Very confused.

The plant doesn't like it here. It prefers being in it's old spot. It prefers more sunlight. And the soil is too dry. And the soil could do with more nitrates." Kacy is looking at me, impressed.

"You know all that from touching it?" She seems to think I am skilled with plants. Which I now am.

No, I know all that because it told me. It likes you, by the way." She's looking at me strangely. Her face... it is full of disbelief. As if I've done something impossible. Oh. Magic. She probably doesn't believe in it.

"I'm full of wire." She's looking at me as if I'm mad. "I've got a metal plate in my head. I fell down. Hard." Her face is now filling up with understanding.

"Right... Sorry to hear that," she says as Mommy looks at me, a volcano about to erupt. Oh. I've messed up again.

This will be a very long day indeed.


	3. Between The Darkness And The Light

**Between The Darkness And The Light.**

I shiver from the cold and the fear. I've just been dragged here by _them._ And they've made sure that I knew that I mean nothing to them. But why keep me alive? Why not just kill me? I try to stay as still as I can.

"What's your name?" The voice is electronic. Emotionless. It won't care if I am scared, or tired. It'll just press on, until I crack.

I mustn't crack.

Light is now flashing in to my eyes. The air is biting into my scratches, my bruising stabbing my body with pain every time I move. My joints ache with being bashed and and scraped and wrenched as they hauled me into this cell. I've got no idea where I am. I think that's intentional. I shiver again. This time, it's just from the cold. My clothes are loose, torn. They were really rough in bringing me here, and I was really energetic in getting away from them. The bright lamp is adjusted, to go directly into my eyes. My left eye bruised, hard to see through. I think they know this. They _want_ me blind. To weaken me.

I mustn't crack. I mustn't give in. For John. For _everyone_.

"My name? Why should I tell you?" I make sure that there is as much bitterness and hostility as I can manage.

"If you don't, we'll give you one." So empty of feeling. You know what? I think it's funny. A machine giving _me _a name? They lack imagination... so what the _heck_ could they give me?

"Go ahead. I'm dying to hear it," I tell it sarcastically. Silence. I've got it now.

Suddenly, a T-888 steps forward, the eyes focused on me.

Oh _crap..._

I feel myself lose my courage as I see it pay complete attention onto me. There, in front of me, the chrome glinting, the fleshless face that of technological death. It walks to me, and quickly grabs my left arm, and as I uselessly struggle to free myself, and pins it to the table. Don't cry. Don't cry... Mustn't give in... Mustn't let everyone down...

It has in it's other hand a device. It's got some kind of cable attached. So this is it. The start of the torture. I'd always knew I'd end up here, tortured to death. It's why I never sleep a full night. Because I'm always here. In my nightmares.

My skin burns, the pungent smell of burnt flesh biting my nostrils as the barcode is burned into the skin by laser, bright red as the eyes staring at me, impassively performing its task. I gulp. I feel shame as something snaps inside me. I scream, the pain too much for me. And it is finished, I stare at what they've done. They've given me a name. A machine name. They've stolen a little bit of me. They're starting to make me one of them. I know about the Infiltrators. Is this how it's done? They take a person, and piece by piece make them into a soulless machine? I don't want to become that. I _don't_. I feel hollowed out. I surrender to the demand.

"Cameron! Cameron Philips!"

"Not any more. Your name is on your arm. You belong to us now. Soon, you'll be loyal. Soon you'll kill John Connor." The voice. It's changing. It's... Oh. Oh no. It's _mine_. The interrogator leans forward. I start to cry as I see who it is.

It's me.

And suddenly I know. It's true. Who I am. _What_ I am.

I feel it inside me. It's more than a lust for blood. It's the need for totality. The totality for human destruction. I wish to find John Connor, and rip out his heart. I will have it, still beating, in front of his dying blood splattered face. And when the last breath has left his nostrils, I will tear off his head, and then place it on a spike, and let everyone see it.

The Interrogator smiles and nods. She knows. She can see it in my eyes.

I'm a Terminator.

Willing to serve Skynet.

I look to the side, and I see someone. Someone sad. Someone crying. Short, barely five feet tall, and with a doll-like face and waist long raven hued hair. She shakes her head in remorse. And I know now what I really am.

Traitor.

I bury my head in my hands, and flood out of me rivers of tears. I didn't need thirty pieces of silver. Just a barcode telling me my new name.

A hand gently stokes my head.

"We all have moments of failing, moments when we give in to the darkness that lies within us. Do not be ashamed. For you to have this failing in your heart means you are more human than machine. A true machine can never feel what you do." I look up, and see the warm, caring face of Jane. Jane Smith, who showed me such great wonders. She gives me a small smile.

"It's in your hand. I promised you when I gave the Evenstar, that I had fashioned it to give you light and guidance. My dear Cameron," she says, as she holds my chin, "All you ever need to hold back the shadows and the darkness is just one candle." There is such radiant light coming from her, her face serene, her hair braided at the sides, tied back and revealing her pointed ears.

"Look for the light inside yourself. Let it guide you through the darkness." She turns, as if hearing something. "You're under attack. You need to awaken, _now_."

I blink my eyes, and I find them opening up with me on a bed. Oh. It's my new bed. In my new bedroom. We're being attacked. I grab from under the bed an automatic rifle. I rush out, scared of what is about to happen. But I'll protect my family. I'll protect them.

As I get into the corridor, I hear the smashing of glass. I start to move faster, desperate to get downstairs.

"Hey, Help!" Oh no. It's Mommy. Mommy is being attacked. I grip the rifle tighter. Don't let me be too late... I get to her the same time as Derek. His face is set with determination, his hands gripping tightly a black handgun. I don't have time to identify it. I look about, and see a man on the floor, his chest punctured with a bullet wound.

"Check the perimeter." I look out the smashed door, the rifle now cocked and raised. I walk out, and use my optics to scan the area. Oh. My vision is much improved.

But then I'm not a Terminator. The energies that healed Jane from her mortal wounds hit me and changed me. I'm a Tin Miss. I need a heart. But I need to protect my family. I need to keep them safe. But the darkness is all around, pressing in to snuff us out. But all we need is a candle. A Candle to keep it back. And If I have to be that candle, I'll do it. If I have to die, then I'll gladly sacrifice my life to keep them safe. Even Derek. He's my uncle, after all.

I walk around, scanning the area. Normal, Infra Red... every type of spectrum scan I can use, I'm using. I'm checking and double checking. No, nothing. We're safe. I'm listening, using my hearing to detect any possible sound. No, nothing. Not even a Terminator could hide like that. I sling my gun onto my back. The trees... so tall. My senses are telling me they are there. I feel the life all around me.

And it's beautiful.

I know I'm heartless, but this makes me more certain that I have to stop Skynet. I feel one tree, older, more aware than the others. I walk toward it, knowing that this is important. I step forward, fear shorting relays in my neural net, breathing simulation heavy. I step forward, and I know that I can – and need to – interface with the tree somehow. It wants to interface. Actually, it's commanding it. Wait. In the Blue Green Book of Shadows, Jane's book, the one she made, and filled with magic and rituals, it mentioned something. She once interfaced with a tree by touching it. A loop. I have to create a loop.

Oh. I know how. I walk to it, and then with arms outstretched, I begin the interfacing process. I press my body to the bark, and then wrap my arms around it.

Oh.

Oh _my_...

it wants to know who I am, why I'm different, why I carry... a metal spitter? oh. My rifle. It's talking about my rifle. This interface... it's not like a machine. It's something else. It's... an awareness. A pattern of thoughts. So different... so utterly different to the way machines or people think or operate. I open myself up, letting it learn about me. It understands about Skynet. Oh... it is wanting to know how I can interface with it. I open up my mind, and let it know about my damaging myself to prevent myself from ever harming John again, how I ran away, and lost my memory. How I met someone from another universe, another reality. How she nearly died saving me-

Yes. Arcadian. She is part Arcadian. When she healed, she took part of what made up the Lord of Time, and I touched her. Yes, the energy hit me-.

What do you mean I'm a Changeling? That doesn't make any sense-

I gasp in pain as I feel torn up-

"What the _hell _ are you playing at?" Who's shouting? Oh. It's Derek. He's furious. He's pulling me by the arm towards the house. I feel the trees. They are angry at his conduct of me. I will out of me an emotion, as complex as I can make, to try and calm them, that all will be well.

"The area is secure. I made extra sure of it."

"Then why were you hugging that tree?"

"It wanted to talk to me." He lets go, his face close to mine. His eyes are brimming with rage. It's all I can do to stay unemotional.

"The trees are angry. They don't like people. They are angry. People are consuming this planet. Too many people all at the same time. The numbers have to drop."

"Let me guess... they tell you that we should let Skynet rule?"

"No. But they don't want humans to, either." he makes a small noise, as if he doesn't believe or understand what I'm saying.

"Humans built Skynet. Skynet ruined the Earth. It must not come to pass." He's staring at me, his eyes glinting denial. I walk away, heading back to the house. I walk through the ruined door, ignoring the crunching of the glass under my feet. I gaze at the man. Oh... I recognise him. He's the guy from the alleyway. I saw him come through time. Me and Jane. His destination was here. And his eyes are open. That's wrong. I kneel, and with one hand close them. Be at peace, soldier. You've done your duty. Now rest in the sleep of ages.

I look up at Mommy.

"What do we need to do?"


	4. Veteran Reconciliations

**Veteran Reconciliation**

I stare at the power plant. There, looming upwards to the clear blue sky... and I have a strong dislike for it. Nuclear power is expensive, inefficient and polluting. People say it's a clean power source. But mining is very damaging environmentally, and there is the processing of the radioactive ores. Then there is the disposal of the waste. It costs a lot of money to deal with the fuel for these stations. I never thought about it. Until now, I never thought about power stations, about the environment, but since talking to the Elder Tree, I can't stop thinking about it. This is important. Really important.

"It looks a lot different than I remember," Derek sounds like he's having trouble adjusting to being in the past. I understand. I have that sometimes. I go somewhere, and I have different memories of the place. Darker, bleaker, more horrible...

"The resistance controls this plant?" Mommy asks. I keep on staring ahead.

"Battle of Babola Beach, December 8th, 2026. Humans gain control of Serrano Point from Skynet." I tell her, keeping all feeling out of my voice. I feel conflicted. Part of me is glad Skynet lost, and part of me wishes it had won. I feel torn by the loyalties to my two families.

"It's a key strategic hold, it's one of our main sources of power." Derek says, his voice still a little distant. He's remembering. Maybe he was at the battle? I don't know if I was. My memory was wiped. I wish I could remember. I don't like not knowing. It feels wrong.

"The guy who died said something about two days. What's happening in two days?" Internally, I frown. I don't know. It's not information I possess. No... no. Nothing. It's all missing. And I don't like that. I feel useless. And lazy. As if I'm not contributing enough to my family. I need to provide something, though...

"Maybe Greenway will tell us?" I say, a small tint of hope in my voice. Greenway is our only lead. Wait, no. I remember when I saw the Resistance fighter I fell in the crater just when there was a second jump occurring. Jane had jumped in and saved me, by controlling the time displacement with her Kirlian device, but I hadn't realised that the implication would be that someone was coming across. And that someone had shot him.

Oh. It must have been a Terminator. It's the only thing that makes sense. A Terminator sent to stop the fighter from warning us. Yes... that makes sense.

"Maybe Greenway is trying to sabotage the plant. Do you think he will tell us that?" Mommy asks. I consider this possibility. Why would he do that? Is he a terrorist? Maybe he's a disgruntled employer. It's happened before. But how does this relate to the future? I need to answer her, though.

"I think he will." I tell her, certain that in one way or another, it'll happen. If I must, I'll break his bones to get the answer. I feel unsettled about this, though. My food processing system feels like it'll reject it's contents. I must be malfunctioning again. I need to run a diagnostic. Make sure that everything is working okay.

"I'm going to look around," Mommy says, opening the door. "I'll be back in ten minutes." She gets out, and slams the door. Derek turns round to face me as soon as she's out of earshot.

"So. Why were you tree hugging, instead of securing the perimeter?" He's still very angry. He's been brooding over it. I look away, to the floor.

"The area was secure. The trees wanted to talk to me. You interrupted my interfacing with their leader." he snorts at this.

"You really want me to believe that? Because when I tell Sarah-"

"Don't tell Mommy!" I blurt out. My eyes widen and I slap my hand to my mouth. I've slipped up. This is bad. Very bad. I'm going to be in trouble now...

"_Mommy_? Sarah isn't your Mommy! You're metal! A _Machine_!" I feel tears trickle down. I start to hug myself, rocking gently forwards and backwards.

"Skynet is my mother and my father. Skynet made me... And now I'm with you. Skynet would take me apart to find out what went wrong. To built a better model. I don't want to be dismantled." I look at him. "All I want to do is make Mommy proud of me. I want you all to be proud of me," I tell him, he face morphing into shock when I tell him that. I think he's a little disgusted at that, too.

"I used to be a Terminator, but I'm not any more. I'm a Tin Miss now, and I'm pleased about that. I've_changed_," I tell Derek. He's starting to stealthily draw out his gun. I slowly and clearly bring out my hand, and open it up. I have no choice. I have to do it. I have to silence him.

I focus my attention, and wish for a ball of energy to form in my hand. And one starts to swirl, building up in the centre of my palm in a silver toned whirlpool of power. It's not stable, and it quickly dissipates, but it's worked. Derek is looking at me, stunned.

"Not everything mechanical is evil. I'm not. Not now, anyway." He looks at me, shocked, suspicious and disbelieving.

"John had managed to fix my chip, but he hadn't removed the termination directive. I overrode it manually. I chose not to kill John. Once I was fully working, I could make that choice." He's staring at me, realising for the first time ever that I'm not the enemy. Not any more.

"I patrolled Serrano Point a couple of days before I was sent back. You're right... it's different. It's not armoured up, with extra facilities..." I look at Derek. "We both were part of the same war. We didn't have a choice in what we did. You hate me. I don't hate you." He's just staring. "I feel sorry for you. Skynet took away your family, your life... it programmed tremendous hate into you. I remember bits. Fragments of what I was prior to capture and reprogramming. I don't like who I was." I swallow hard. "I remember I had been in this bunker. I killed people. And I was happy. Because I hated them. I hated their existence. I understand why you hate me. Because that's what I was." His eyes are burning anger, his face a mask of pain.

"You have any idea what you mean to me?"

"Yes. I was your interrogator." His face dissolves into shock.

"I remember a room. It's dark. There's music playing. Chopin. Nocturne, I think. You were shoved inside the room." I swallow hard again. "I don't like what I was. Part of me feels something about Skynet. It's like child and parent." I hold his hand. "But you're my family. I'd die to protect my brother. You're family to me. No matter what sympathies I have for Skynet, I'm not letting it happen. Skynet must be stopped." I start to cry again. "I helped someone who was dying. I'd ended up back in time with them, and they'd been contaminated by the Temporal Displacement effect. As they were healing, the energy they were generating shocked my system when I touched her. It's altered me. It's made me aware of this planet more." I shake my head. "Its getting harder and harder for me to cope. To stay emotionless. To hide all this from you all. Because it all goes. It's all burnt away." I look at him dead in the eyes. He's staring back, the same haunted look that has to be in mine is staring back at me.

"We have to stop it, Uncle Derek. Not for John, not for anything... because we know too much. We have lived through that hell. And I want to go to the mall with you and eat until I throw up." He looks away.

"You're also like the Tin Man. You need a heart, too." He looks at me, flashing anger in his eyes. It's gone instantly, though. Because he's realising I'm not trying to trick him, or operate some scheme to serve Skynet by deception. He takes a slow, deep breath.

"When I look at you, I see the cold, soulless machine that wanted to know all it could about Allison." I look away, the name hauntingly familiar.

"Don't tell me any more. I don't want to be told. I need to work it out. I have nightmares. It might be around her." He's looking at me, confused.

"I go to stand-by mode. I have false memories when I do so. They have to be nightmares." He's looking at me, the revelation slowly hitting him hard. Suddenly, the door swings open, and Mommy is back. I quickly withdraw my hand, and that raises Mommy's suspicions.

"What's going on?" she asks, eyeing the pair of us.

"Derek was reminding me that I'm a Metal, and that he's good at dismantling machines. I was analysing his readings to assess whether his rant was calming him down. It did. There is a much reduced chance of him killing someone now." I lie fluidly. She's not really believing my lie, but she's got nothing to back up that doubt.

"Okay, then we need to go, Tin Miss. Managed to secure temp applications for us. Two Janitors just called in sick. Personal problems," she says with a small smile. She rigged it somehow. That's my Mommy for you.

I get out, and start to follow Mommy, turning back and giving Uncle Derek a small smile and a wink. As I turn around, I think I see a small smile start to form on his mouth.


	5. Infiltration

**Infiltration**

I stare ahead.

This is the third film I am having to watch. This is getting boring. And I have no idea why a squirrel is working at a nuclear power plant.

"Nuclear power plants supply twenty percent of our nations electricity. But how do they work? These lovely ladies are Uranium fuel rods. And they are _hot_." the squirrel sticks his finger in his mouth, and puts it on the the fuel rods. And they are female, and are dancing around in a cage. I think they are trying to be seductive.

"We're going to start a chain reaction," the fuel rods say in a sexy tone to the squirrel.

"Ah, schucks!" The squirrel is blushing from embarrassment.

No, sucks. This sucks. Sucks for me.

"Hot rods make the water boil. The steam spins the turbine. Abracadabra! Energy. We can't forget to cool the steam back to water, so we can so the whole process can be repeated. Or else you'll have a massive failure of the containment system." This is boring. I might just go to stand-by, until it is over. This is a stupid cartoon. Is this what starting all jobs is like? Being forced to watch stupid videos that tell you nothing important about what you are about to do?

And the worst part is that my first job is doing something I resent. I don't like nuclear power. Every time I think of nuclear power, I think of the trees at our new home. I feel like a traitor. A black woman strides into the room, all purpose and focus.

"You know, I don't like taking on two temps, I'll tell you." She stares at us, as if deciding us. "Still, perfect score in your placement exam, security clearance, and I did have two janitors calling in some personal emergencies," she says as Mommy – Mom – Momma – gives me a small smile my way. I produce a ghost of a smile. Mom had briefly told me what the 'personal emergency' had been along with key tactical information to assist us in our mission. "Come on," the boss lady orders.

We both get up, following the boss lady out. I'm glad to be moving again. My organics are feeling strange. Oh. It's cramp. I think I have in my legs and back from sitting too long. We keep going, and then the space opens up, and we are in a main area. It seems nice to have so much space after being inside that small room for so long.

"Is there a reason why you two are so rough around the edges?" she asks, clearly nervous about hiring us. I can understand. If I was hiring us, _I'd_ be nervous, too. We're about to kick Machine ass. I heard Uncle Derek use that phrase once. It's strange, though, because Skynet doesn't employ any donkeys or asses to perform any tasks.

"Car accident," we both say simultaneously, in perfect synchronisation. It's what Momma told me was to be the reason for our injuries. Well, it's true for me. I _was_ in a car accident. The car blew up.

"'Cause I can't have any problems in my plant." She's still nervous. I understand. Yesterday, I was a scary robot out to kill people. Today, I'm a Tin Miss ready to save the planet. And to kick some horse-like animals.

"Car accident." We repeat it, again in perfect harmony. The boss lady seems to want to let it pass.

"Just stay out of the fuel building without your protective gear on. Or you _could_ get crapped up."

I see a guy walk past. I look at him, scanning his ID. No match. Not Greenway.

"That doesn't sound very pleasant." Momma sounds like she's not concerned, but I know she is. Radiation... Oh. She's scared of cancer. I remember the look on her face when I told her. At the time, I didn't feel anything as such. I was just relaying information. But I know now I messed it up. Sensitivity. I should have said it gentler or something. I feel bad about what I said and did. Like Jordan. I watched her suffer. She was crying, and was deeply upset. And I gave her some make-up. I've been thinking about it. A lot. I don't like it. I realised that I made a horrible mistake.

I should have gone to the roof. I should have tried to save Jordan. It would have kept John's face out of the papers, and it would have meant she'd lived. I know that the chances of succeeding were slim at best... but I let her down. I let her die.

There's another man walking past us in a green shirt. Scanning ID... Match. I look at Momma Sarah, who understands, and takes a good look at him as he goes by.

"It's plant talk for getting exposed to radiation. _Then_ you'd need a scrub-down. You don't want a scrub-down." The tone of voice tells me that she knows from experience that it's not a good time to have. I follow them, lost in my thoughts. We get given uniforms, and assigned areas to clean. I see the look in Momma Sarah's eyes. We need to get answers. I nod once, and go, sneaking into my trousers something that might help.

I was given something, a device called a Sonic Screwdriver. It was made by someone who died saving people in another universe. It ended up in my hands, and I know how to use it. It's instinctive. Apparently, I accidentally got some of his DNA as well. My organics is different. It's a long story.

I'm going to need so much time to work out and understand all that happened to me lately. I time travelled, and saw amazing things, like the Earth forming, and the birth of the first ever star. And now I can talk to plants and trees... make balls of energy... it's totally whack. It's changed me. It's making me see everything so differently. Like school. Before, I went because of John going. Now, I want to go and get good grades. I want to go to college, and to study something. Become someone. And I know they'd never understand.

I get to my designated area, and start mopping. I need to find a way to know what Greenway is up to. Wait. I'm in an office area. And there are computers about. I walk to one, and get out my Sonic Screwdriver. I can't explain or understand how, but I know the settings. I adjust it, and then activate it, the blue light and buzzing sound telling me it's doing its job. In a moment, the screen flashes up with all sorts of information. And it's all flashing in front of my eyes. It's too fast for me to read, but I can do that later. I'll be doing a lot of mopping. There. His notes. That should prove useful. I use the Sonic to get me out of the system without detection or trace of my activities. I remember John telling me that getting out of a system is just as important as getting in. There. I slide the Sonic back into my trouser pocket, and get out of the office, and back to my mopping.

Okay... I have recorded a large amount of data. What should I look at first? Oh. His notes. We need to know why he's so important. I move to a different area, and mop there. Oh... problems. Possibly big problems. One of the sensor boards. It's showing... if its working properly, and the irregularities in the coolant pumps are true...

This is interesting. I start to analyse the rest of the information. There is a lot of information, but none of it seems to be relevant to the mission. Wait... if what I'm reading is right, then the coolant pumps are worrying. If they fail, the reactor could overheat, then overload. But there are a lot of potential possibilities for the reactor to go wrong. I'm still not certain how Greenway fits into all of this, though.

I start mopping in another corridor, and another, until I see the boss lady tell me it's time to go. I hadn't realised. I'd just been mopping, and processing information as I mopped. I go to clock out, glad that the day is drawing to a close. I'm out the door and at the car, Derek in the driver's seat, ready to take us back home. I smile when I see him. I get in the front next to him.

"Where's Mom-Sarah?" I ask, trying not to antagonise him.

"Still inside. Guess she's working hard at getting this problem solved," he comments dryly. I look at him sharply.

"Just because I'm not human doesn't mean I'm not able to get answers! I've been busy finding out stuff. It's just that it doesn't make sense."

"What... the mission?"

"No. Greenway's importance. But with luck, we can solve this problem." A noise penetrates the air. Oh. It's my food processing system.

"Was that... wait, you've got a stomach?" I look at him, and nod slightly, a tiny smile curling my lips.

"Not a human one, but I can process food. It's never done that, though. Make noises. I'm also registering pain from it." He snorts.

"You telling me that you're hungry?" He clearly doesn't believe it's possible. He goes into the glove compartment, and hands me a chocolate bar. I stare at it. I've never eaten chocolate before. I take it, and after a moment of nervousness, unwrap it and bite into the bar. I feel saliva build up, and the chocolate melts in my mouth. I make a small noise as my senses explode. I eat more, gladly experiencing each bite. In no time it is gone, and Derek is waving another one in front of me. I coo in delight as I take it and tear into the wrapping, eager to experience some more chocolate sensations. Before I realise it, the bar is finished, and I'm making a small whimpering sound. I think I'm sulking. But why would I be sulking at my lack of chocolate.

"Huh," Derek says, grabbing my attention. I look at him, bewildered. He's been watching me. Studying me. Suddenly the back door is open, and a familiar person enters, sitting in the back.

"I've found out that Greenway'll be at this bar nearby. Busted Atom. We also have to get security clearence. I'll try to get close to Greenway, see what I can learn. Tin Miss will have to find a non-lethal way of getting the passes."

"No problemo," I tell her. She looks at me, confused.

"Huh?" She looks at me suspiciously. "Have you been eating chocolate?"


	6. Pooling Resources

**Pooling Resources.**

I stand by the jukebox staring at how it works. This is fascinating... vinyl disks. I thought they were no longer around. Made obsolete by the CD. Then again, MP3 has been around for several years, and CDs are still here. Though I reckon they'll be pretty much gone soon, too. Will that happen to me? Will John send a more sophisticated and advanced Terminator from the future to replace me? I'm not a Terminator, though. I'm a Tin Miss. It's the only way I can describe myself. I don't want to be obsolete. It makes me nervous to think of that. Humans replaced other hominid species. Why don't they fear the same happening to them?

Questions. So many questions flow through my head. They were there before the explosion, but since being brought back, I have so many more of them. I feel things. So many things, and they run through my mind at speeds impossible for humans to properly comprehend. How do people do it? Live like this? With millions of things happening that causes millions of questions that can never be answered?

I need to get it together. I need to focus on the mission. It's a matter of life and death.

Life and death.

I look at the play listing. So many songs... I've not listened to any of them. I pick a song, and as the bass guitar and the drum start to kick in, I look to my left. Perfect. There are a bunch of security guards playing pool. A smile shadows across my face. I'm liking this song. I'll have to get a copy of this. I should get an MP3 player. One with a large storage capacity, to store lots of songs. I'd like that.

I slowly walk up to the table, putting my hands into the pockets of my short, tight denim skirt, my hips swaying, my belly scraping against the material of my tight-fitting leopard skin top. It's strange, but I get a warm feeling at the thought of my breasts being cupped and held by the top. I'd chosen it this afternoon after work for it's appropriateness for the mission.

I'd never realised that wearing it could feel so good, though...

as I walk towards the guys, I notice an older woman with a rose tattoo. I think about it... a rose tattoo, hinting itself out of my clothes.

That'd be tight.

The guys are looking my way, noticing the way I'm walking up to them. The body language is saying "look at me." I've done that on purpose. I smile at them warmly as I get to their pool table.

"Hi, I'm Cindy. I'm new in town." I pause, to make sure they're all hooked on me. "This looks like fun." I say, flirting. I'm looking at their body language. I don't like it. All leering and clearly interested in me as an object.

I don't like being seen as an object. _Really_ don't like it.

"Well Cindy this may look like fun," one guy says as I smile seductively, wishing I could hit him in the head for his patronising attitude. It's not a desire of need to kill him, it's just I have emotions, and it's a response to that. I keep on signalling with body language, flirting as convincingly as I can.

"But Bob here's got fifty bucks he can beat anyone in this bar." he looks at this thin, slightly craggy looking guy. Great. Another one I'm certain is undressing my in his mind. "Ain't that right, Bob?" Bob nods in agreement.

Oh. I understand now. They think I'm stupid, because I'm female. Now, I want to win, and show them up...

"I'll play you Bob."

"You ever play this game before?" I look at the guy, face blank of emotion.

"How hard could it be?" I ask simply. The guys seem amused by my words. I don't like to think about why.

"Oh, it's plenty hard, girl. Let me show you." He walks up up me with a pool cue, and a smile I don't like. "Now whatcha gonna do is take this stick and lean over the table." I bend, with him hovering behind me. His had is on the cue, and... oh. It's on my hip now. I don't like it. I would love to take his hand and crush every bone in his hand. Because I feel like an object again. I _really_ don't like that...

I look to the left, and get my revenge on him. I let the visual systems scan his ID, and make a perfect image copy. I think that it's appropriate.

"Now slide it though your fingers. Relax, and get a _real_ good feel. I look to the table now, expressionless. I don't want to react to the feelings inside my abdomen. They are all for beating this guy up with this pool cue for feeling my body. "That's right... nice and easy..."

I _really _want to put him in his place now.

Okay, time to play dirty...

Angle analysis... Hmm... I need a good angle... There. Ninety-one degrees. Yes. That should get more than one in the holes. I feel the wood slide through my hand, my fingers feeling the smoothness of the varnish as the tip hits the cue ball perfectly, my hand picking up vibrations in the process. I lift up, and feel satisfaction as four balls go down with my very first shot. I look at the guys.

The look of shock on Bob's face is a wonderful feeling.

"Still my shot, right Bob?"

The look on his face is that of rage. This is going to be so satisfying...

I lean down, and hit the next ball, and the next, until all are in the holes. Bob doesn't seem to happy.

"You cheated!" he snarls. I look at all of them.

"Shall we play again? You can go first," I tell him calmly. He gives a quick, curt nod, and strides to the table, and the guy who put his hand on my hip is putting the balls back on the table, and glaring at me. If I was human, I'd be feeling nervous right about now.

Good thing I'm a Tin Miss.

Bob bends over, his eyes focussing on his aim. I extrapolate his aim. Oh. It's not optimum.

"You want it a little to the right. You'd get three balls in."

"Shut up. I'm concentrating."

"That angle will not be optimal."

"Shut up," he growls, a frown deeply furrowing his face. He's putting too much power into the shot. I open my mouth to tell him, but it's too late. He's taking the shot, and the ball clips one, which shoots straight for the hole, clips the edge making it hit the other edge, and back out into the pool area. It heads back to the other balls, and hits them, just barely able to make them move.

"You over compensated." I say, stating the obvious. He glowers at me. I start playing again, putting each ball into the holes. Bob and his friends are getting seriously annoyed. This is easy. I need to make them think against continuing with their current arrogance. I place onto the table two hundred dollars.

"I've won fifty. This two hundred says that in five games, you won't beat me. Care to raise another two hundred? Care to prove me wrong Bob?" I walk up to him smoothly and seductively, eager to get him riled up further. He peels off several notes, and slams them on the table.

"Done."

"You go first."

I watch as he makes mistake after mistake, telling him what errors he made after he makes them. This is enjoyable. It's all about angles. This game is too simple for me. I'm not able to be challenged by people, and this saddens me. What is there to challenge me?

Ballet. I can get the movements precise, but I know I'm still not a perfect performer. I've been studying, trying to get it right. But something eludes me. Like I'm missing something. I know that I have it inside myself that I can get there. Be a perfect performer.

"Damn it!" I snap to my senses. oh. I've managed to play – and win. And Bob is looking furious. And hurt. I take the money, and walk up to him.

"If it helps, I could only play because I could see the angles involved. I see the mathematics to the game." his eyes are full of the realisation that he's been outsmarted. And his arrogant pride blinded him to the clues I gave him to that.

"The advice... it was genuine."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To help you become better than you are now." He's looking at me, hurt and confused.

"The best of humanity is to be able to become more than you are now. To become better." I hug him, and kiss him on the cheek, before walking away. Momma Sarah is still talking to Greenway. I stand by a table, waiting for the others to convene with me. I count the money, pleased at the fact I've managed to humble the men. I don't take pride in it. It only reminds me of what is missing from inside me.

How can I be better than them when I lack a heart?

I need a heart.

Someone is coming to my table. Oh. It's Momma. She's finished talking to Greenway. I think she's gained valuable information. Footsteps. It's Derek. By the weighting, I think something has happened. I fold the money away.

"Somebody's smashed Greenway's windshield." Oh. This is serious. Momma gasps.

"Big guy with a crew-cut." Momma's eyes are now flashing realisation and understanding.

"Well, Greenway's got a lot of enemies. He stopped the last reactor test because of safety concerns. If he stops the test tomorrow people are afraid that they'll shut the power plant down and they'll lose their jobs. He's concerned about one of the sensor panels in the control room."

"It's showing slight irregularities in the coolant pumps." I interrupt. They both look at me.

"I hacked into the computer and read his notes." I explain, leaving out the technology I used to hack the computer. They mustn't know of it. Momma Sarah continues.

"Anyway his boss is pressuring him to ignore it. That it's nothing major. But if Greenway's right, and there is a problem -"

"Then the reactor could meltdown. Half the state would be contaminated." I tell them. I've read all the information I copied. It's how I know.

"Skynet wins." Derek says.

"But if Greenway stops the test, and they close down the plant..." Momma continues, her voice interrupted again.

"Then the resistance can't use it in the future." Derek said, his voice heavy with realisation and defeatism.

"Skynet wins." I say, my food processing systems feeling strangely heavy. We are all looking at each other, uncertain of what we should do now.

"We should get back. We've got nothing more here to get." I nod at Momma. My mind is racing with thoughts. The thought of nuclear devastation over half of California fills me with dread. The thought of nature hurt so badly... It's wrong.

We have to stop it. _Have_ to...

I see silver and sparkles dangling in front of my eyes.

"This was on the floor of your room. Care to explain where you stole it?" Derek says to me angrily. I feel anger of my own build up inside me.

"I didn't steal it. A friend gave it to me."

"Really?" Sarcasm. Something I'm getting to understand all too well.

"To help me find my way," I tell him as I snatch it from his hand.

And everything is dark, as only being inside a forest can be like. Blood. I smell blood.

"Run!" someone says, a girl or woman from the sound of it. A teen couple, hurt and bleeding are running away for their lives, terror etched into their faces. I hear the growling of some creature, and the slicing of flesh. A grunt is all that registers of the blow. A battle scream rings out, the same female as before.

And then we see it. The battle. For it's entered the clearing we are in. it's a cheerleader. A cheerleader is fighting some form of monster, wild, savage. It's not from this planet. She's attacking this sabre-fanged beast with unbridled fury, a fierce determination to put this monster into the ground. The Foul Beast backhands her, and she stumbles to the floor, blood splashing onto the floor. It's a horrific fight to the death that's being waged here. The Foul Beast with its claws and sabre fangs, it's leathery scales and burning red eyes. It screeches and roars, and I now I see the cheerleader getting up, and I recognise her. And suddenly I feel nothing but fear and worry.

It's her. It's Jane. Jane Smith, the one who made and gave me this pendant. The Evenstar.

I blink my eyes, and we are back again at the bar, and I can see that Derek has also seen it. He looks deeply shocked.

"What the hell just happened?" I look at him, my eyes brimming with tears as I put on the Evenstar.

"Something terrible is happening."


	7. Searching

Message from the Author: Thanks for the feedback, folks

**Message from the Author:** Thanks for the feedback, folks. It _is_ read, and listened to. The Mommy issue is because I forgot to put down certain things, and I have to go back and insert thoughts and feelings that would explain it better. I've started doing it, though, and future parts should have this resolved. Hopefully.

If I make references to what's coming up, it's because I have at least a couple of parts written up ahead of uploading. So I know a bit more than I'm letting on. :)

**John: **Because You've reviewed using the Anomynous feature, so I've not been able to say thank you. Believe it or not, when I write, I have the downloaded review page available for me to flick to every so often. Your words have been a big boost. Thanks.

**geega-pax:** It's nice to see you're reading this one too. I was quite impressed with what you'd deduced in the first story. Without saying too much… Blue Boxes maketh a comback. In fact, it's part of a story arc that is going to take the whole Terminator universe… Oh, and it's possible for other "Lords of Time" to appear, because I've done a LOT of background reading, and there are a couple of possibilities… one good, one bad… Just in case you find that interesting. I also have one story I'd like to tell… explaining why River looked at Donna Noble the way she did… because if I get to do that, and pull it off, it'd be quite awesome… Oh, and the episode Turn Left… Doctorless universe and all that. Okay… so… how did the episodes "Shakesphere Code," "The Fires of Pompeii" turn out? And the whole thing in New York with the pig men? What's going through my mind on that? Spoilers. ;)

The cholocate was important. It's a quirk. And we all have them. It also allowed me to have a moment of humour in an otherwise serious story. And that's important. And the idea of Cameron being unstoppable, but a chocolholic has a nice appeal to it.

**Starman800:** I'm glad you liked the bonding Derek and Cam have. It was a total shock to me when it started to appear. But it's given me _so_ much potential story… There's a lot more on the way.

I know you want J&C stuff… but I'm not certain what you mean by that. Is it just interaction, or romance? As for John… Well, I work in a very boring place. It gives me time to think. And I've ended up with BIG possibilities for John. But, I need to set the foundations for all of that. So John is going to take a while to integrate. It might not even be in this story as such. But when it happens… If it comes about how I have it at the moment in my head, then John's whole Destiny will be in Cam's hands… in a way…

**Sierra Three: **I'm glad you like what I've been doing. And I hope you continue to.

After this one, there'll be two longer pieces… And what's coming up? Derek and Cam are going to have the toughest mission yet…

**Searching**

I look out the window, my face an unemotional mask, hiding the turmoil inside. I know who it was I saw. I saw her get hurt. This is bad. Really, really bad. I know it's not her name, but I can't help but think of her as Jane. And it's something that slipped through the Briar Patch, the barrier between this world and the world of Arcadia... something truly terrible. Something that doesn't belong in this world. And she'd known it was there, and was fighting to the death to stop it harming others...

It only serves to remind me of how close to I am to a traitorous Machine. A Metal.

I want to wipe them all out. Create fields littered with their impaled heads. To prove that I'm nothing like them. Derek is right. They should never be trusted. Because... Because...

I just want them all dead.

This journey is taking too long. I estimate the speed to be fast, at the legal speed limit, and we'll be home soon, but it's not fast enough. I want to help her. Because it's the right thing to do. Like killing Skynet.

Before I realise it, we are pulling up at our new home. I just want to get in, and get a gun. Many guns. I need to hunt this thing down. Because if Jane, who's a mixing of many supernatural breeds, is dead, then no human can stop it.

Only a Tin Miss can.

We get into the house, and I can hear a female voice. John. Worry starts to fill me. Is he okay?

"John?" She asks. Momma Sarah's body language is hostile, but not through one of those scary robots being in the house. I walk in behind Derek.

Oh. Who is _she_? I'm scanning her thoroughly, and she doesn't make any sense. It's like she's a void. I'm not getting any reading from her at all. I can feel a presence, but... it's like what I'm seeing isn't there. She's not real.

"Who are you?" The tone is firm, demanding. She's really angry... And John is there, standing tall and firm. I see a glimmer of the John I remember from the future. But less scary. Less cold.

"This is Riley. From school." Strange... I don't remember her. Then again, it has a large number of people I don't know.

"Hi Mom," Riley says. Mom. The proper response would seem to be Mom, not Momma or Mommy. I need to remember that. I need to be right. I need to be perfect.

"Let's talk. You and I," she says, walking out of the room. John follows, his walk more certain than before. As he walks past, I walk closer to Riley. I want to get a good, close scan of her. But it's the same. She's there, but it's like something is deflecting every scan I have. I can only see her in the visual range. I'm not even getting a heat signature from her. It's like a black void in the image. A black hole.

This isn't tight. It's loose. Very loose. I don't like it.

Mom and John are arguing in the next room, and Riley is clearly getting uncomfortable. I keep staring, determined to find out what's going on. She walks away, and into the next room. I get into the Kitchen, and get the blank ID card Mom wanted done. I'm going to go and get it done, then go. Riley is freaking me out. Yes, that would seem the appropriate word. Freaky. Riley. Freaky Riley. Because she's not really there, but is. And I'm not glitching again, either. I've run tests three times now, and they all tell me they're fine.

I see Mom is staring at me as I'm sitting down and etching out with a marker pen a perfect copy of the barcode clearance needed to get to all areas. She's making me nervous. She probably expects me to glitch again, or eat the pen. I only did that once to run a chemical analysis on the difference between toxic ink and non toxic. Both tasted disgusting. And it took a lot of effort to get the colour out of my mouth and teeth. I learnt that if I want to do something like that again, I should look up the chemicals online. It's safer, and doesn't get your mouth scrubbed out twenty seven times. My mouth was sore for a week. There, done. I get up and hand it to Mom, and go to my room. I open the door, and on my bed is a battered box. I rush to it, and I see it is what I... it's... I rip open the flaps. It is. It's all there. My things. All I had was inside a box. A couple of CDs, my ballet shoes... all of my stuff. No. The notes. They're missing. I frantically shift the stuff around. They're not there. I tip the contents onto my bed. I just cannot _find _them. I feel a lump building up in my throat. I feel awful. I can't look for them any further. I need to go and-

Pieces of paper float down in front of me. I look at them. Wait... I snatch at them. My notes...

I spin around, and see Derek behind me.

"Care to explain?" I look away to the floor. I don't want to discuss them. I dive under the bed, and get a couple of handguns. I grab my jacket, and put it on. I slide the guns into the inner pockets I made for such a situation. I head for the door, and Derek puts a hand on my shoulder. I twist out of it, and run out, into the corridor, and down the stairs. I get to the kitchen, and see Mom there, staring at the ID card. She's upset. She's not showing it, but her body readings are clear. Heart rate, sweat, skin temperature... I go to her, and hold her gently, to try and make her feel better. I need to go, and take care of the Foul Beast, but I also have to make sure my family's okay. She's not even noticing what I'm doing. I hear Derek arrive at the door way. He frowns.

"Sarah?" he says, as if he's worried I might snap her neck. That hurts me. I could never hurt her. _Once upon a time, you were inside her_. How I wish that were true. I want to know what it's like to be a child, to grow up... I'd like it a lot if it had been Sarah Connor. I look at Derek, wide eyed. Mom looks up, and realises I'm holding her. She roughly frees herself from me. It feels like I have been kicked in the stomach area. Hard. About seven and twenty PSI. It's not cool. Not tight.

"What were you doing?" she asks, accusingly. I look at her, feeling like I'm being stripped down to my endoskeleton with her gaze.

"You were upset. It seemed a logical course of action." I feel fear run through me. I head for the back door quickly.

"I'm going on patrol," I tell them.

"I'm joining you," Derek says, his voice telling me that it's not for discussion. And in that moment, for a nanosecond, I learn something new.

I know what hate is like.

I stride out quickly, looking for possible ways to lose him as fast as possible. Something is waved right in front of my face, too close for me to focus on.

"You're not losing me," he tells me. I pull them out of his hands. Oh. Night vision goggles. Again, that hate flashes inside me. I look at him, letting it show on my face.

"Maybe I want to be lost," I say harshly. I toss them to the floor, and start to to run, but my leg suddenly gives out, and I'm face down of the floor. I look to my leg. Oh. There's a cable wrapped around my leg. I punch the ground with the palm of my hand, a grunt of frustration escaping me. I look at him, angry tears starting to build up.

"I need to talk to you. And I'm coming with you." I just glare at him. "That girl is connected to you somehow. And that is a monster she was fighting. After growing up in a world destroyed by machines... a girl fighting to kill some monster makes me feel better. Because it means that there's evil out there that isn't just Metal. And people are willing to die to stop it from hurting others." He untangles my leg, and retracts the cable. He picks up the goggles, and extends a hand to me. "We need to get going," he says.

We get into the trees, and I'm searching about. I'm lost. I don't know where the fight is.

"I don't know where she is," I whisper, angry at myself. The Evenstar Pendant glows, and out pops out this little ball of aquamarine light, and starts travelling into the woods. I run to keep up, Derek keeping up. We zigzag through the trees, until we come across something that doesn't belong in a forest.

"What's a Police Box?" Derek asks, his forehead furrowing. I walk around it, looking for damage. None. I get to the front.

"It's open," I murmur. This is wrong. She wouldn't leave it like that. I look about, and I see the ball is now racing off in a new direction. I start to follow, with Derek behind me. I'm impressed. He's keeping up with me. He's better at this than I thought. We get to a clearing, and I see two forms lying on the floor. The ball of light returns to the Pendant. I draw out my guns, and move into the clearing, scanning for any possible threat. I keep moving, trying to get to Jane. Nothing. And the second, larger, form is completely still. I'm not registering anything from it. I kneel beside Jane, trying to get a positive reading.

"We should get her to the house," Derek says, matter of factly. He's still scanning for any possible threat, using the goggles to do so.

"No." I swallow hard. "The Cathedral is nearer. We should patch her up in there." I hear something. A slight rustle. I look to my right. I can't sense anything. But the trees... they are whispering to each other. And it is a warning.

"We have to go. Now." I point a gun in the direction we came. Oh. I feel it. A presence. I look at Derek, my eyes intense.

"_Now_," I repeat. I hear a pained groan from Jane, and I put my guns away, and lift her up in my arms. She's light... so light... and limp. Like there's no life in her. She whimpers as I stand upright. I run, working hard to ensure I don't trip over. This is important, getting to the Cathedral.

Because now something is coming after us.

I run, feeling fear inside me build up like trapped steam. Building up pressure, getting more desperate to escape from me. I see the Cathedral, and I kick the open door, squeezing us into the narrow space. I rush up the ramp, and next to the central column. Derek is close behind, and he slams the door behind him. Just as it closes, something rams the door, causing the whole Cathedral of Time to rock. I look around us. She's altered it heavily, with purples and blues, a smooth and flowing look to it all. And there are a number of separate consoles.

"What now?" Derek grunts and pants. The Cathedral is rocked with another collision. That creature certainly wants to get in... I see a glow to Jane's hand. A crack of aquamarine light...

"We're in Trouble. Jane would be able to do something, but she's critically injured."

"How critically?"

"She's about to Regenerate."

"Huh?" I ignore him, and slap her hard across her gashed face. Her eyes half open.

"We need to escape! Emergency flight!" I scream at her. She forces herself to full awareness, and launches herself drunkenly at the flight console, leaving bloody hand prints on the central console. She crashes to the floor with the next assault. Her long hair, damp and matted with her own blood, jolts forward. Jane lurches forward, and settles into the seat. She moves her hands over one of the side crystal panels. They don't seem to respond. She looks at her hands. They are shaking badly. She touches a crystal screen.

"Touch screen it is," she rasps. Her hands fly, tapping at the screen's options. We hear a creak, and then the Cathedral is alive, the central column an electric blue, the internal clear pipes moving up and down, the sound of us dematerialising and flowing through time sounding around our ears. The sound, though, is so different... a smooth sound, like it's been healed. A powerful humming as we fly through space. Jane groans, creasing up at the console.

"Not yet... Not yet..." she grumbles, as more light shines from her. A beeping sound. What is it? What does it mean?

"Right... following you," she grunts, the touch screen controls humming in reply to her tapping. She looks at us.

"Hold on," she warns, as we crash forwards making us fall to the ground. She taps a couple more times, and then is out of the seat, and pulling down a lever.

"We'll have to recharge for a while..." she puffs out. She looks at me sadly.

"You know what's next," she says quietly and painfully. I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek. I look at Derek, who's now looking around, and at Jane in utter bewilderment.

"What is this?" he asks warily. Jane just smiles sadly at him.

"Can't explain... The poison went directly into my bloodstream. Couldn't prevent this at all. Cams," she says, looking at me, now crying, "I don't know how this time will go. I might change utterly. New body, new person. So, if it happens, I want you to know that I-" she screams in pain, and a burst of light comes from her mouth and eyes. I just break down and cry, clutching onto Derek as I see her head fling backwards, and her arms fly away from her body. I've seen this before, the energy flooding out like a waterfall, the sound of a thunderstorm all around us. But this time I hear a wail of despair from her, and as fast as it started, it's over, and she's falling to the floor, like a limp rag doll. I'm too stunned to react, and I don't even start moving as she hits the floor with a thud. Her body is like a china doll dressed in a bloody and ruined cheerleader's outfit. I feel the shock Derek is feeling, his pulse abnormal, his breathing erratic.

"What the fuck just happened?"


	8. Another Note Needed

Hey… This is the extra part, because of the goof-up

**30****th**** October 2008: **_I have looked at the reviews, and I have to confess that I had messed up this part up royally. Sorry about that, and I hope that this works better now. It's a partial re-write of the whole thing. It's also much, much longer than standard. I hadn't put in enough, and I hadn't listened to my instincts when they were niggling at it. _

_Sorry it took so long to re-write it… I'm planning to do a lot more over the next few days. _

**Hinotima 24: **I'm pleased you enjoyed it so much. I hope you like the other parts as much.

**Random Girl:** You're wanting more are you? Drat… I'll have to write some more. ;) If I can be dragged away from Dune 2000 long enough for it to happen…

As for Cam and Jane (you do realise that's not her real name, right? It's a nod to the series "Doctor Who." In it, the Doctor sometimes goes under the alias "John Smith.") hooking up at the end… Well, the funny thing about time travel is that whilst it may all be recent for Cam, as you'll see Jane has had more time. And she's changed in that time. Not to mention there's a pesky little premonition she had in another story I did with her in it. Then again, anything is possible. I really wish I'd not messed things up, because you'd have seen what leads up to the last part… Oh well…

**Another Note Needed**

I stare at the floor, at the fallen girl who's lying there. I feel worried. This is bad. Very bad.

"She's not human. She's part Kindred, and part Fae. She ended up exiled here from another universe. We keep sending people and Terminators through time, and it's damaging everything. It's fracturing this universe."

"And what the hell happened just now?" Derek sound almost panicked. I can't blame him. I notice something under the central console, glowing yellow. I rush to it, and grab it. I go to Derek, and lift up for him the hand that's kept in a metal jar.

"This happened. It hit her on the head when she came through to our universe. It fell out of this place. Something is working to have a second army, and the goal is to not just stop Skynet, but to stop the time travel technology from being created. To stop this universe from being destroyed." Derek is staring at me, shocked, and confused.

"This is a lot to take in. I understand. I still am trying to understand it myself. She saved me. There was a time displacement in progress, and I was in the middle of it. I would have been destroyed. She somehow took inside her the Vortex of Time. It poisoned her. She was dying. The DNA in this hand isn't human. It belongs to someone called the Lord of Time. This is his hand. He died... I don't know all the details. But her body was able to absorb some of the DNA. It saved her life, but it's changed her." I let Derek hold the jar, with the bubbling liquid and severed hand. I go to her, and cradle her in my arms. I hold her close to me as my eyes look up at Derek.

"It's called a Regeneration. The Lord of Time could do it at the point of death. All his people could. But for them it was a complete change... the body and personality. Jane can already alter her body. And she's only partly Lord of Time. So it puts her body back to it's Default Form-"

"Default Form?" Derek asks incredulously, his face screwed up with incomprehension. I nod.

"I don't know everything. She holds a lot of mysteries. The last time it was Default Form. I guess she wasn't certain about it this time. Last time was the first, and it was because her body was still too human. The Regeneration changed that. Gave her two hearts." I stroke her face. "The energy that surrounded her when she was healing and changing... I thought she was dying. I tried to save her. I got thrown back by a huge force of energy. It changed me. I'm not a Terminator. Not any more." Derek looks as he's about to go crazy or something. I simply nod at him.

"Yes. It's totally whack," I tell him. He's sinking to the floor.

"And the tattoos that have suddenly appeared?"

"They're part of Default Form." I crouch down next to him.

"I ran away. From the church. I couldn't handle John and Mom argue-"

"She's not your Mom. She _never_ gave birth to you." His tone... so harsh. So final. I look at the floor.

"I wish... What's it like? To be a child? To grow up?"

"What?"

"To be a child. What's it like?" I move my eyes up to him. I feel tears build up walls of liquid sadness in my eyes. I need to focus on the situation. I swallow hard as I fight to prevent myself crying.

"I don't know... just is. I've never really thought about it." He looks at me sternly.

"What's with the notes?" My face screws up.

"I don't want to talk about them," I tell him.

"Well, I do. So spill."

"Sometimes things happen. And they are so bad that people don't know how to deal with their sadness, so they write a note."

"You wrote one to Vick. And to me."

"Yes."

"Because you were dying. Because it was clear that I had met you before I was reprogrammed. Because I'd hurt you somehow. I didn't like that. I couldn't tell anyone. So I wrote a note."

"And Vick?"

"He never became more. He couldn't be redeemed. That I had to destroy him." I bury my face into Jane's still body. "Because I was afraid I would die."

"You were afraid?"

"Yes."

"What have you got to be afraid of?"

"John."

"John?"

"Yes." I lift my head up, and look at him angrily. "Because of what he'll become. In the future. He's our saviour. But he also is cold and ruthless. That scares me. I'm scared of failing him, and he'll take me apart."

Derek puts the jar down, and walks to me, sits down beside me, and puts one of his large hands onto my shoulder. I shrink from its presence.

"You know, I still hate you. I can't forget my past. What's happened. Who you replaced. But... Damn. Damn it. Connor might be right about them after all."

"About what?"

"Machines. Having the potential to become more. Become so like us, they become us."

"No! Don't say that... They're evil. Wrong." I feel a single hot drop of salty water flow down my cheek.

"Emergency Protocol seven six four activated." I look around, confused. I see a holographic image of Jane standing close to us. She looks directly. At me.

"Okay, you're getting this, Cameron, which means that the vision I had four years ago did happen. This will only trigger at event of Regeneration. Something, though went wrong. I never could see what exactly. I need the random guy I keep on seeing to go and check me out. Cameron, get away from my body. I was poisoned somehow, and I know that if it's something that could take me down, then you could be at risk too." Derek looks at the hologram.

"Won't I-"

"No, because you're human. Now focus. It looked like I was attacked, so I'm assuming a creature. There's no time to narrow it down, though." Derek gets to her body. "I need you to sniff me. Is here a smell?"

"Yeah, like burnt metal." she nods, as if expecting that.

"Okay, that narrows it down completely. Cameron, there are a couple of flashing panels on the main console. Hit green, purple and then yellow buttons. That'll get the air scrubbed. Problem is, I never figured out a way to get the iron out of me." Derek is looking at the hologram, his face stretched and squinting the way it goes when he's totally lost.

"I don't get-"

"Now isn't the time. Focus." The hologram looks at me.

"Cameron, I couldn't simulate a response with my Kissie-"

"Kissie?" Derek says, incredulously. The hologram looks at him angrily.

"Kissie. KSE. Kirlian Sonographic Emitter. Except I've made a more advanced version than the one Cameron last saw. I managed to get the particles excited, but not to get them out of my body." The hologram looks at me. "Under the flight console, there's a cabinet. The Kissie is in there. There's one thing I didn't try, because I couldn't. I just hope you have your Sonic Screwdriver with you." Derek is looking even more lost. I put a finger to my lips as I rush to the flight console. She has changed a lot to this place. Like separate panels for the various systems. Before, she had to rush around the central console to get things done. I wish we were back there. Back at those simpler times. It was nice, seeing what we saw.

I grab the Kissie, and rush back to her body. The hologram looks at me expectantly. I fish out of my knee length boots my Sonic Screwdriver. I look up, at the waiting hologram.

"Okay, you now need to get the Kissie in my hand. It's pre-set. Just keep the button pressed down. Mystery guy will need to do it. I'm the only one who can get it to work. Security feature. Now Cams, you need to get the Sonic to be able to extract metal particles. If you can pin it down to exactly Iron, that's even better."

"Setting 728f. Got it," I say as I adjust it quickly. I nod when I've done it. Derek is keeping the Kissie working, though I don't know how this will help. The purple light at the end is reassuring for some reason.

"Okay, activate the Sonic."

I do as the hologram instructs, and start working it. I suddenly know now that she was right. I can see the particles vibrating and glowing a white colour. Jane groans as the iron leaves her body, floating upwards. They dissipate, though, clearly being filtered out by the filtration systems. The hologram disappears as her eyes open up, her lids heavy still. She groggily gets up, and goes to the cabinet. She stumbles down to get something out of there. Oh. It's a bag of fluid. She starts sucking on the in-built straw section.

"Okay, my memory's shredded. Don't know what's real, or what's not. Luckily, the Cathedral downloaded a copy of all my memories just prior to Regeneration." she gets into the flight console seat, and looks at the settings.

"Huh? Why are we in eighteen eighty eight?" Derek looks at her in shock.

"_What_?"

"Er... you did know that this thing can go through time, right? Okay, that look on your face tells me that you didn't." She looks back at the screen. "Well, you do now... Oh, and it's also capable of going anywhere. You wouldn't _believe _what's inside a black hole..." She sucks on the fluid some more.

"This is a Time Displacement device?" She snorts at his words.

"That's like comparing a really noisy, rubbish moped to a top of the range motorcycle. The principles behind this... It's funny, because we've got all the parts. Just didn't think of hooking all the different tech in this way."

"Who's 'we'? And what's with the smell of burnt metal?" She looks at him wearily.

"My people are irrelevant. They're in another universe. My home universe. The burnt metal was the poison. Certain metals are harmful to me. Must have gone up against a creature that injects it as a poison or something. Whitechapel. That rings a bell for some reason..." she looks up at Derek suspiciously. I step forward.

"It's okay. He's tight." she raises an eyebrow at this, and looks at him while sucking some more fluid up.

"Hi Tight. Who's your brother, Loose?" She says sarcastically. Derek smiles slightly at this.

"No, it's Kyle." Jane's face goes blank, then her lips draw closer together.

"Kyle." She looks at me, with growing anger in her eyes. She look back at Derek. "Kyle _Reese_, by chance?" She asks in a careful tone. Derek nods, a little surprised by this. She's looking really angry.

"You tell a soul about all of this, I'll kill you. This place is too important. Neither side can have it. It's too dangerous. The time-line is already too badly fractured. I'm not joking either. As much as it sickens me, I have to protect this place." Derek nods, understanding.

"I want to stop Skynet, okay? Before we go into how I know about it and everything, one question. In the future... is John married to a Kate Brewster?" Derek shakes his head.

"Never heard of her in my life," he says, clearly expecting an answer. Jane just looks triumphant.

"Ha! Knew it! The third film never happened!" Now even I am lost.

"Okay, here's how it goes... you understand about the basics of time travel, right? So now, I want you to think of a sea of bubbles. And each bubble is a universe. And between them all, glueing them together, is another universe, if you will. Like a web. And at the centre is Arcadia. Faerie.

"Before you say anything, there's one thing all universes have in common, no matter how different they are: they all have stories about fairies. Because the True Fae has visited them all. The kidnap people from time to time, and alter them into changelings. Or they steal babies and if they grow up in Arcadia, they're pretty much Arcadian once they've grown up. I'm part Arcadian. Part Fae. Which is a real problem, because of the Future War. The technology is polluting to the time-line. Think like petrol fumes to a car. If you have enough of those fumes, the whole atmosphere is wrecked. Same thing with your Time Displacement technology.

"Now, like I said, I'm from a different universe. And in that universe, Terminators, Skynet, John Connor, they were all in a really popular film. Which had sequels. I hated the third one, by the way. However, I've been plotting events in this universe to the films. That's the thing. The first two are pretty much spot on. Dyspn, blow up Cyberdyne, the whole gig. But there's a divergence, which means that the third film may be just imagination." Derek is waving a finger in the air, his eyes narrowing.

"So what you're saying is that all this is fiction in another universe?" Jane nods.

"Yeah. But it's more than that. Someone with imagination ended up with a glimpse into this universe. And made a film about it. It's all because of Arcadia, and the Briar Patch. The glue universe. It's really a route to Arcadia. Did you know that the _Wizard of OZ_ was based on historical events in Arcadia? The author was telling his version of a power struggle that occurred there." Derek looks like he's having a hard time taking it all in. I'm finding it hard myself.

"Cams, I said it the second I saw the Cathedral. I said that it shouldn't exist, because in my universe, it's fiction. And I've been looking into that. Because I've been gaining a theory as to what's going on. Don't ask, because I'm still figuring it out. How come do you think I know so much about this stuff?" I think about it. Oh. I understand now.

"Your sister is a sci-fi nut," I tell her, now getting it all. Jan smiles and snaps her fingers at me.

"My sister is a sci-fi nut. Except that we didn't know that at the time. We were just friends who'd known each other from play school. And that's why I know so much." she says with a small smile.

"You said that you got the design for the Evenstar from a film," I say. This is starting to make a lot of sense now. Her face lights up.

"Oh, and what a film... It was created so that Arwen could give it as a token to someone. Except yours is to protect you." I nod at her.

"It has. It also showed me you were in trouble."

"It did? Then it must have more abilities than I originally gave it. Interesting." She looks at the Flight Console again.

"November eighteen eighty eight. Whitechapel. Okay... Whitechapel is in London. Wasn't it a rough part of town in this time period?" Her face changes with realisation, her lips pursing together, her eyes widening.

"Ah. Yeah. That makes sense..." She looks at her body, clothed in a ripped and bloody cheerleader's outfit. "I need to shower, get changed... We're here because something as going through time. Rough guess, I'd say a Terminator."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, my dear Mister Reese, I doubt the Resistance would be sending someone back into Victorian England." I look at her, confused and concerned.

"But that makes no sense." Jane just shrugs.

"It does to me... Anyway, I need to shower-" She stops suddenly, gasps, and looks at me. She gets out of the seat, and walks unsteadily to me. I can't interpret her facial expression, although her heart rate has increased. Hearts rate. Heart rates. I don't know how to define the readings for two hearts.

"It's just come back to me. And given how I still feel, it's best I get it out of my system."

"I don't understand-"

With a blur of motion, her hand connects with the side of my face, the palm impacting noisily. The force is enough to strain all the servos in my neck, noisily protesting at my head being forced to the side. The pain data I'm receiving from the slap is immense. Derek is shocked, taking a step forward in case he needs to step in.

"What was that for?" he asks cautiously. I see he's carefully reaching for his gun.

"Jordan. She stopped John from trying to save her." I look at her, her eyes glistening with anger and pain.

"I had to stop him from getting onto the radar-"

"Save it. Her death made local news. That's all. You should have let him try. Because now, he's capable of killing a person. It's all connected." Derek is looking at her, sizing her up through her body language.

"She meant something to you," he states, as if he can tell it's a fact. She looks at him furiously.

"Do you know how many years I've been here? I made myself into a child, to grow up. To be completely integrated and hidden. I've known her since she was ten. I've known her six years. She was my best friend." She closes her eyes, and a tear trickles down before she opens them again, brushing the tear away angrily.

"Yeah, she meant something to me. She meant a lot." She turns away. "I'm getting that shower now." I watch her walk away, into one of the corridors that leads away from the entrance cave of the Cathedral. I swallow hard, trying to understand and deal with the storm of feelings I have bottling up inside me. I can't. It's too much for me to process. I move my eyes to look at Derek.

"I need some paper and a pencil."

"Why?"

"Because I need to write another note."


	9. A Pound Of Flesh

**A Pound of Flesh.**

I stand in silence, wishing I could write a note. I have a conflict inside me, and I need to have it resolved. I don't know what to do. How can I tell her that I regret what I did now? I want her to understand that if I had the ability to, I'd change it all. Wait. I've just realised something.

"How do you know about Jordan?" I ask Derek. He gives me a small smile.

"You wrote a note to her." I feel my cheeks grow unusually warm. I also feel the surface of the skin of my forehead moisten slightly. I feel the back of my neck tingle, and I swallow a little too loudly. Derek taps me on the nose, and I jolt backwards, my head moving from his finger to his face and back again. I'm confused now. He sniggers a little.

"You're easy to wind up," he comments, I keep on looking between the points, my head tilting as I do so. I suddenly turn around, and my breathing becomes more rapid and heavy.

"You're making fun of me." Oh. I've let emotion into my words. He tugs at my shoulder.

"You're acting like you're upset." I spin around, looking at him with a face screwed up, and moist eyes.

"I am upset! You hate me! And I don't know why you hate me!" I suddenly hug him tightly. "I just want you to like me! I want you all to like me!" I feel his body tense up, as if he wants to push me away. I look up at him.

"I just want to belong," I say softly. He grips my shoulders.

"You'll never belong with us! _Never_! You're Metal! You're one of _them_!" My face screws up in anger at his words.

"I'm _not_ one of them! I'm a Tin Miss! A TIN MISS!" I shout at him. He pushes me away. I lower my head, my hair falling around me.

"I may have started out a Terminator, but I'm not that any more. The energies that gave her the power to regenerate, to have two hearts and the power to understand and use this Cathedral of Time... I was hit by that energy too. I'm not Metal any more. I'm not! I'm _not_!" I get out a small switch-blade knife from the inside of my boot, and I flick it open. I bury it deep into my arm. I breath in sharply, pain registering. It hurts. It hurts to do this. But I have to show him what I really am. Who I really am. I start to slice into the flesh, my hand trembling from the agony – yes, the right word for this amount of pain data is agony – and encircle the arm. With skill showing I've used a knife repeatedly, I turn it and start slicing down the inside of my forearm, ignoring the blood that's now welling up. I can't stop myself from crying now. I'm not sad, though. I don't get it. You cry when you're sad. I'm not, though. I'm just in agony. I slice further, until I get to my wrist. I swallow hard as I get the blade out of my arm, and I lift the shaking, injured limb up. I dig into my own flesh with my own hand, and start to tug at it. It won't budge. I try harder, biting into my lower lip as I do so. It's still not coming out. I look up at Derek, who's looking at me. He seems shocked.

"That flesh should be peeling off easily." I gulp hard as I dig deeper. I give out a small cry of pain. I'm biting into my lip so hard, it's starting to bleed. I look at him, trying to regain composure. I'm failing. Big time.

"I'm malfunctioning!" I breathe out of myself. "I can't peel off my flesh, and I'm registering agony instead of simple pain, and I can't stop crying! I'm not sad, and I'm crying. I'm _wrong_!" I shout at him. He grabs my arm, and carefully buries his hand into the wound. He gives it an experimental tug. I cry out from the pain data. Reflexively, I pull my arm away, and start cradling it. My body is shaking from the pain. I look up at Derek.

"What's wrong with me?" I cry out, the pain making me feel weak. I'm leaking out blood, onto my top, and down my belly. Derek is looking around.

"We need to stop the bleeding-"

"I'd say so. Well, I know your first name," Jane says as she strides regally towards us. She's dressed elegantly, as if she's about to meet a king, or if she herself is a queen. She has a poise and bearing that's graceful, and I feel pathetic now, watching her come closer to me, almost gliding across the organic grill that covers the floor. She grips my arm hard, and I feel the pain disappear. I see her lift my arm, and angling her head and my limb so she can easily see the wounds.

"So, did you enjoy playing Shylock?" she enquires. Derek shakes his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he was after a pound of flesh, too."

"I was never after a pound of flesh-" she turns to look at him.

"Weren't you? You can't accept her, can you? I find that sad," she says as she traces a finger along the wound starting at my wrist. Oh. It's healing. It's producing a nasty scar, but it's healing. How can she do that? I look at her in amazement.

"It's the best I can do. I'm still recovering from the fight and the Regeneration. My blood hasn't properly converted yet. Ooh," she says, and rushes to the cabinet under the Flight Console. Derek is wide-eyed at what he's seen. I'm feeling an emotion I've never felt before. I try to analyse it. Oh. Shock. That has to be the best comparison I have available. I'm shocked that she can heal me.

"Converted?" Derek says incredulously. He's looking completely bewildered.

"My blood needs to convert and distil. I'm part Kindred. It's why I'm going to need to have some of _this_," she says grabbing a blood bag from the cabinet. Fangs elongate from her mouth, and her canines, incisors and premolars become jagged and sharp. Her face has changed into something beautiful and terrible, predatory and primal. She bites into the bag, greedily sucking and draining it empty. Once empty, she bites into another, and another. She casually tosses the bags to the floor. As she finishes, her face changes back to it's doll-like beauty. I stare at her, trying to accept what I've just seen. I feel fear. I know what she is, because she's consumed blood before... _my_ blood was consumed. I feel nervous as she looks at us.

"Sorry, I needed more blood. When I Regenerated, my blood weakened back to that of a human type. There's no real charge at the moment." She looks at us gravely. "A Regeneration isn't a pleasant or simple thing at the best of times. And that's for the Lords of Time themselves. I'm only part of that heritage. So things are even more dicey for me." She points to the cabinet. "I'd prepared for this day, not simply because of my premonitions it would happen, but because I knew that one day, it _would_ happen. I would run out of luck, and end up Regenerating again." She looks at Derek, who is trying not to collapse from the overloading of information. She turns around and faces me directly.

"You're going to find that your organics isn't simply a shell any more. It's not a cover, a mask. It's an integral part of you. Your organics have altered on a genetic level, your endoskeleton and systems have altered on a molecular level, and the two parts have integrated. I also strongly suspect that your neural net processor has changed, too." I look at her, trying to come to terms with that.

"So there's no way I'm remotely like a Metal?" I ask her. She looks at me confused.

"No, you're still made of Coltan."

"What she means is that she's not a Terminator any more," Derek says, intervening. Jane just smiles.

"What do you think, Mister Reese," she says in a matter of fact way as opposed to a question. He shifts about on the spot uncomfortably.

"I'll take that as you accepting that she's a Tin Miss now," Jane says with a certainty. Derek just grunts, annoyed at her. She's deliberately ignoring it. She's striding off to a corridor, and picking stuff up left at the entrance. She returns to us, and starts handing Derek some things. She then walks to me, and starts putting clothes on me, a wrap around ankle length black velvet skirt, and a black turtle-neck jumper. Her face is very close to mine as she folds down the turtle-neck, and brushes down the trunk of the jumper. Our eyes meet, and I see so many emotions, pain and anger, uncertainty and concern, and something else. A glint, a glimmering of something. It reminds me of the look Morris tends to give me. This spark, this fire, and I don't understand why it's there. What it means. She's then putting on me this thick woollen weave black full length coat, with a furry hood she lifts onto my head. She looks at Derek, who's put on an undyed leather duster, cowboy hat and a belt that has holsters filled with two shiny revolvers. She nods at Derek as she strides out to the door, and takes a deep purple velvet cloak and puts it on the deep purple and blur dress she's got on. She looks at the pair of us.

"You two ready?" she asks. I nod, and Derek grunts his confirmation.

"Then out we go," she says with a little nervousness.


	10. Exterminating Threats

**Exterminating Threats**

I step outside, my breath chilling in the freezing air, billowing out of our mouths in steamy pillars. Jane is walking out purposefully, looking about. It's like she's trying to get her bearings.

"I have perfect direction. In case you are trying to figure out where to go," I tell her. She looks at me strangely.

"I know where I need to go," she says simply. "I need to go and find out what we were following through time." She looks at Derek. "How you holding up with all of this?" She is asking Derek, whose looking at the Cathedral's exterior. He's walking around it, pointing at it.

"Yeah. It's advanced technology. Bigger on the inside. Used to use Transdimensional physics, but that's clunky and privative. I've been converting everything to Transcendental physics. Not only is it more streamlined, it makes the whole run a hundred times better. I know it's meant to be old – a relic, but it's still scarily primitive. My Clan – those who are hybrids, like me – we have organic technology and other such stuff. We keep it hidden, to stop the progress of humanity from going out of step." Derek is looking at her. I'm turning round to look at her, too.

"You're looking at a lot of back-story. And it's all complicated. I'm from the twenty-first century, like you folks. But it's got a whole pile of different events. Though, it should mostly be the same as this one. But your time travel technology is tearing apart your universe. I've been using the Cathedral to try and repair the damage, a bit like stitching up torn material. Because the number of time people have gone through time..." She shakes her head. "I'm out to not just stop Skynet, but to stop this technology from being created at all."

"So, why is there a Terminator in the past like this?" Derek has a point. One I've been wondering about...

"If I were Skynet, I'd find out all I could about my enemy. Including things like family trees. I'd wipe out the entire family of my enemies, because it's utterly barmy. And utterly barmy tends not to be understood by most people." She looks at the pair of us. "I've been following your progress. If it wasn't a case of you folks trying to save mankind, I'd be thinking you lot were clowns. Lurching from one crisis to another." Derek is getting defensive.

"It's not easy, figuring it all out. There are no records of who built Skynet. And we don't have fancy futuristic technology to help us." She starts sniggering.

"It's alien technology. Not from Earth's future. And not from _this_ universe, either." she snaps her fingers, and the door closes. He looks at Jane, like she's grown two heads. She just smiles back at him mischievously. "Come on, we need to work out what it was we chased."

We walk forwards, into the thick and freezing fog. It's strange. I'm registering the cold, but I'm not shivering. Then again, this coat _is_ thick...

"So, if you're from the twenty first century, how come you've ended up with an alien time machine?"

"I ended up in a fight with a Kindred Elder. A leech that had lived for centuries... I ended up deflecting that monster's blood magics, but not well enough. I ended up here. It had correctly deduced that I'm part Arcadian. And that Elder had sent me to a place where the patch was damaged, and would be fatal for me to travel. And then the damage would be toxic to me, and I'd die. But I met Cameron when I got here, and the hand hit me in the head. What I did to Cameron's arm is what I used reflexively when I was dying. Cameron got me to hold that pickled hand. The DNA I took from it acts like a filter. A buffer from the time poison. But it's more than that. Who I am on a fundamental level is changing. Even after having had six years, my body is still adjusting and adapting." Derek is frowning at all of this.

"We found the Cathedral. It was abandoned. It had been sucked through another universe. The same universe as the hand." I tell Derek. He's striding out in the fog with us. I look behind me as I walk forward. I think there's someone following us. I start scanning the fog, using enhanced vision. Night Vision. Infra Red. Wait. I think I see something, but it's cloaked. Like it is doing all it can to stay hidden.

"There's something following us, isn't there?" Jane asks softly. I carefully nod my head, so as not to attract too much attention. Derek is now walking alongside us now.

"You two certain of this," he asks softly. He's stealthily going for the revolvers. Jane is carefully shaking her head.

"It's not Metal. Metal wouldn't have traces of emotion. Whatever is behind us has the ability to mask emotions. It's probably a side effect from telepathic shielding. Which means that it's not Metal. It's something else."

"So, what is it?" Derek asks, carefully holding the revolvers in such a way that it won't be obvious to anyone behind. Jane's lips are drawing together, her eyes laced with worry.

"Not our big concern right about now. Our big concern is that it might be hostile. If it is, then we have problems. Because whatever is following us has power to keep itself hidden from my keen, predatory senses. And I'm still too weak to fight anything supernatural right now. And that means that our main line of defence is a Tin Miss. And I doubt she's going to have anything supernatural-"

"I can talk to plants. And trees." Jane turns to look at me, her expression one of bewilderment.

"We're in the middle of a city. I don't think we can summon up an army of trees to help us right now. Though it makes me think of _Lord of the Rings_..."

"Lord of the Rings?"

"Yeah. Written by JRR Tolkien. He died in the Battle of the Somme. Decades before he wrote it. It's one of many discrepancies I've found with this universe. We need to focus, though. Revolvers probably won't do much. I'm not at anything like full strength. But I think I can serve up a distraction. Cams, you'll have to serve up as the main assault. Derek, serve as a distraction, but don't try heroics. We don't know what we've got on our tails." Derek nods, as do I. I feel something. I don't like the idea of being the main fighter in this.

I look a little to my right into the main road. It is cobbled. Wait. I scan ahead on alternate visions. There. I change direction, start walking to it. Jane and Derek are following me. There. I see it. Oh. It's a small crater. Time Displacement has happened here, and recently.

"It seems you were right about Skynet sending units into the more distant past," I comment. Jane breathes heavily through her nose.

"I wish hadn't... Can you hear something?" I listen as carefully as I can, using my audio systems to process anything and everything. Wait. There-

"I think I can," Derek says, beating me at what I was about to say. I nod my head, wishing it had been me saying it first.

"Two separate words. Spoken by two different voices. The first is 'Delete.' The Second is 'Exterminate'.It's-"

"Are you _certain_ it's 'Exterminate?' No possibility for error?" Jane is gripping me tightly, her face warped with panic. I think she might cry. I nod my head, now starting to worry as to what could make her panic like that.

"Certain," I say, and her eyes widen and glisten with tears, her trembling hands covering her mouth. Derek isn't phased by this. If anything he seems irritated.

"I think we should focus on the more immediate problem, and that's the free range metal that's out there," Derek says with a finality. Jane is shaking her head. With a brief fumbling, she's found her Kissie.

"Cams, you remember that guy who came through time? The tear in time?" I nod at her. "This has torn into something else. But it can't be another universe, because we'd see that. We'd see something... where could it be seeping to?" Oh. Was that? I...

"I think I saw something. In the area above the crater," I report. Derek is looking out to the fog.

"Is any if this connected to our friend following us?" he asks, clearly standing point. I scan the area as Jane starts using her Kissie on the invisible rip in the universe. Her hands are shaking violently, barely able to stop herself from bursting into floods of tears. I scan again, just to be sure.

"No. The area is clear. Who ever it was isn't nearby. For now," I tell him. Jane is starting to get hysterical. Derek jerks his head briefly at her.

"She like this all the time?" I shake my head.

"Only when there's something that's fully capable of killing all the life on this planet! When they could destroy the Cathedral of Time itself, which is something that Skynet could never do... _never_! I have to seal this rip, because if they get through..." her voice is urgent, fretful. I stare at the tear, wondering what's on the other side. I see her frantically adjusting the Kissie, as if ramping it up to maximum.

"Screw it. I'm going over the red-line," she mutters, as if controlling her emotions by focussing on the task. The end light glows from a regal blue to a deep purple. It is whirring its familiar noise, though it's sounding more urgent. I stare at it properly. I didn't before, but now I see it's a different model. It has ribbed parts to the main trunk of it, and a metal dial setting section. And a black, cap-like section.

"Purple settings at maximum, and lets fry the tri-Zirconinium crystals. The damn thing can bloody burn... They're _not _ getting through... bad enough there's Terminators and Skynet in this universe without _them_ getting through," she mutters hysterically. She's openly crying as she's working, the Kissie sounding more high-pitched. It sounds like it's protesting at the over-usage. I get out my Sonic Screwdriver.

"Can this help?" I ask her. She shakes her head.

"Not unless you can use it to stretch and re-combine on a sub-chronometric particle level the disrupted wave-forms-" She stops to contemplate something. "My Goddess... I'm sounding like him in a situation like this. Just like the Lord of Time. Six years of studying all of this, understanding physics that quite frankly baffled me, except for the explanations in lay terms. And here I am, using technology that I never really quite understood, and I can enhance and improve it. I'm repairing rips in time, and I never could have a hope of doing it before... it's the genetic code I took. There's something more to it, more than simple code sequences... it's an awareness. A connection to things. I don't know, and I'll _never_ know, because they're all gone. All dead. Because of _them_. What's beyond this tear. It's funny, because they're a like. Terminators and what's beyond there. Both were built for war, to act as a defence... bred genetically to hate anything that's different. And they wiped out all the life on their planet, and rampaged across the stars, killing whole civilisations. In the end, the Lords of Time themselves stepped in, breaking their neutrality. They went to war with them, and the whole of creation was at stake. Thing is, even _they_, with all the advanced technology and wisdom they had, and they destroyed them. The planet burned, and that's what will happen if they end up here. Terminators, easy. It's all strategic. But them... No chance. A single one, a few, maybe... but it seems like there's a whole army in there. And this is starting to overheat." I look at the Kissie, seeing the systems overload.

Derek is just shaking his head, disbelieving it all. A distorted electronic scream sounds, and something comes flying towards Jane's head. She squeaks as she ducks, her reflexes better than human. I stare at the clattering dull brass coloured metal dome with light bulbs and something sticking out. It has a black end of the stalk-like item, with a blue light at the end. There's electronics sticking out, and there's still two units alive in it, a maroon red set of lights in a crescent shaped device. Although the topmost lights are blinking out.

"Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate." It's just saying the same thing over and and over, in this screechy electronic voice. Derek is staring at it, gulping at the words. I frown in disbelief. I look sideways at Jane, whose staring at it, one of her immaculately shaped eyebrows raised. Then she's back at the tear, sealing it up with renewed vigour.

"It's dead. Seems to have in it's communication systems some sort of neural relay. It's contained the last mental impressions of the creature it was attached to. Must be a war going on on the other side... But they were all wiped out. And the Briar Patch should insulate... wait... Oh. Oh no. _No_..." She's working frantically whilst thinking. Derek turns to look at her.

"So that bit's still alive?" he asks. I stare at it, thinking about it.

"I don't think it's built like a Metal. It's like a tape recording. On repeat." I start to walk towards it, when the sound of metallic servos whirring wildly starts. I hear panicked grunting as I turn around. Oh. There's a metal hand wrapped around Jane's head, and a metal arm is attached, and is gripping hard as its trying to pull her forwards into the tear. Derek is already wrapping himself around her waist, to help her from being sucked in. It's gripping harder. I suddenly start using my Sonic Screwdriver, using the very last setting in combination with the very first setting to help stretch the edges of the tear together. Jane's still working, struggling and working. I move in front of her, my shoulder in her stomach. I'm not like Derek. I can help. I'm a Tin Miss, and glad that I am right now. Because I can help to save my friend. I glance up, to see how she is. Oh. She's bleeding from the ears. There's got to be a _lot _of pressure on her head. We have to sort this out before it cracks like an egg.

"I don't think we can stop it pulling her in," Derek pants out. I twist, and aim my Sonic at the crack in time, and use it at maximum power. Jane's pulling her Kissie upwards, like a zip. Something is cooking. Something like bacon. Oh. It's Jane's hand. It's starting to cook from the overheating Kissie. I work harder, not wanting to let her down. I have to prove myself. I'm not useless. I'm not.

Suddenly, we all fall to the ground. The hand is outstretched. It's grasping wildly, though it doesn't seem to be moving. Oh. I think it's stuck. Jane us quickly, but unsteadily, getting up, and working harder, determination to seal it up despite the damage to her head. I get up too, using my Sonic at maximum. I hear a tearing to metal, and an electronic scream ringing out from the other side. I see a slightly jagged edge appear, and then it suddenly stops moving. The smell of cooked meat is getting stronger. Derek is holding her up now, which is good considering her her increasing unsteadiness. It suddenly drops to the floor with a metallic clank that's ringing out in the deadly silent street. With a final grunt, Jane lifts her hand up to the highest point in the zip, and then collapses into Derek's arms, the Kissie dying with a loud bang and and sparks. There's a very unpleasant smell as well, as the smoke starts to clear from it. Jane's has blood streaking out of her nose, mouth, ears and eyes. I swallow hard. She's badly hurt. She weakly waggles a finger on her good hand about.

"Get the arm and head. Cathedral. We need to get back there now."

"Why? Are you about to Regenerate again?"

"No Cams. I want to avoid the police officers who are running this way. Can still hear good, you know." Her voice is weak. She tries to get up, but slumps down again. I scoop her up from Derek's arms, and into my own.

"I can carry her, and move unhindered. Get the items." Derek thinks for a second of protesting, then nods and does what I just said. I stand up, and start to run back to the Cathedral, unhindered by the extra weight.

"Starting to be a habit," Jane mutters in annoyance. "Put me down, I can move."

"I'm not risking it. Your voice is still indicating that you are still not recovered enough to move unassisted."

"Still doesn't mean I have to like it," she complains. Derek is right behind me. And the dome is still bleating out a desire to exterminate. We get to the Cathedral, and I briefly turn around. We are being watched again. Jane weakly snaps her fingers, and the doors open obediently. We all rush inside, and As Derek slams the doors, I gently lay Jane down on the floor. She strokes my hair.

"Thanks. Though I _hate_ being a Damsel in Distress. It feels undignified." I smile at her as Derek crouches beside us.

"Is there a medical kit? Anything? You need treatment for your head and hand."

"Well, my dear Mr. Reese, the medical kit can be found by going down the first door down that way, second door on the right, down the corridor, third door on the left, down the corridor, fourth door on the right-"

"Wait... down the corridor?" he asks, slightly sarcastically. Jane just smiles.

"No, right cupboard opposite the door, top shelf."

"How big _is_ this place?"

"Don't quite know... haven't fully explored the place. Besides, we don't need a first aid kit. Because I'm a very lucky girl. I'm still well within the first fifteen hours after Regeneration. So I have a fair bit of residual energy inside me. Enough to..." she closes her eyes, as if concentrating. I hear slight cracking sounds. Oh. It's her head. It's repairing itself. And her hand... it _was_ quite burnt. Now, it's looking much better. As if it's regenerating-

Oh. she's using the remaining energy to heal herself.

"There... that's better. You know, I was quite fond of that particular Kissie. Still, I know there's a few improvements I had in mind... Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm off to bed. I'm knackered. I'll find you two rooms and then a nice mug of hot chocolate before I-" Suddenly, I hear footsteps running along the corridor, towards the main area we are all in. Jane is up on her feet, fists clenched, footing and posture perfect for professional combat.

"I knew it! I knew that UNIT was wrong, and that you hadn't died! I-" A man in what appears World War Two era clothes comes crashing in from the corridor. The happy grin fades from his face. Jane is looking bewildered and murderous.

"Who are you! And how the _hell_ did you get in here!" she demands.


	11. The New Guy

**Author's Note:** I don't know if this works right, so I'll be seeing what the reaction is to it first before carrying on. I was up until nearly six in the morning writing it, so tiredness might have messed things up. So, if I have, don't forget to review. I _do_ read them.

If, though this is working okay, you can also review and tell me. Those give me a boost.

**The New Guy**

I stare at both Jane and the new guy, both looking at the other in disbelief. She's rubbing her temple. And squinting. Her head is craning forward. She's feeling the back of her head.

"You know, my eyesight is perfect. Brilliant, in fact. And yet, that guy is blurred. Quite badly, in fact. I'm still out of synch, but... yeah. It's damaged. I don't get it, though. The damage is isn't self healing. I can't seem to repair the ruptures... why? I need to find out what's going on..." She walks to a different Console.

"Someone's been redecorating," the new guy says in a clear American accent. He's approaching me and Derek. Jane is focussing on the screen.

"I wanted it all to fit in. The aesthetic is based on Castella Period architecture. I loved that design. And it fits with the tech upgrades – why can't I see right. Why? And I can't I see these results? I've increased the resolution. I think. Wait. Are these panels upside down? Got to get an answer..." her head lifts up, to stare at the domed wall. It's like staring at purple and blue marble. She starts speaking in a strange language. And she's getting a reply back from the Cathedral. She seems upset. She's speaking again. The reply seems to be with words that are based on grammatical roots that words in the previous sentence had. The reply seems to be the same. She's brushing her hair back with both hands. The man is unflapping this leather encased object strapped to his wrist.

"You're interesting. Got some strange brain damage. But what's _really _interesting is the fact you've got two hearts. And you're in this place. I thought you couldn't Regenerate into a female?" Jane spins around at him, her face screwed up in confusion.

"I've always been female," she says bewildered. "Regeneration... There's a thought..." She closes her eyes, and concentrates. After a moment, she opens them again. She squints a little.

"I used my fleshcrafting abilities to force-accelerate my healing. For some reason, the excess energy didn't do all that much. My sight's not back to normal, though. But, I'm seeing a bit better now... Right way up now, which is good." she walks back to the console, and starts tapping out options. A unit to the side is humming, and when it's over, she quickly opens it, and gets what's just been made, and puts them on. She spins round and looks at all of us. She suddenly smiles. Those glasses are the sort I've seen the geeks at school wear. She looks like one of them a little now.

"It'll have to do for now. But I don't get why I'm not healing. My blood's concentrating, and I've got enough potency now to do it..." She stares at the console again. "Oh. That's not good... we didn't extract the poison out of me. Not all of it. It's affecting me. My body is slowly extracting it, but it's impacting on me. This is going to be a pain..." The man in the coat is walking up to her. He hesitates before extending his hand.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And who might you be, then?"

"Jane Smith. And no, not my real name. And I'm not saying it, either. Oh, and two hearts is because I'm a hybrid. Part Lord of Time. But I think you've already guessed along those lines." She sizes him up. "You are a long way away from home," she comments. Jack gives her a once over.

"Like the dress. Very royal court. Glasses give you a kinda science geek element. A brains and beauty package."

"Science geek? They're not meant to be geeky. I _specifically_ chose a Greek style. I thought a classical-" she's looking at the screen. "Oh. It says geek. Couldn't see the writing properly. I couldn't _see_ it... I needed glasses before I was Embraced, or whatever the hell he did to me, but I wasn't half blind..." She's shaking her head. Jack is walking towards me and Derek. He extends his hand to us. I don't understand it. He's not right. There is something strange. Very strange. About him.

"Jack Harkness. And you two are?" I look to Derek for guidance. Derek is looking at him warily.

"Like the designer stubble. Gives you a Desperate Dan look." Derek frowns at this, taking a small step backwards. My head jerks between the two, uncertain as to what is going on. He turns to look at me.

"And you are?" I glance at Jane, who seems amused by all of this. She's not worried about him. I look at him, and offer my hand.

"Cameron." We shake hands, and I make sure I grip tightly. It's not enough to make the bones break, but I want to see him react to a sampling of my strength. He winces from the pain, but keeps his composure. In fact, he's smiling a little.

"That's one hell of a grip you have there," he comments. Jane is walking towards us. She reaches into her pocket, fumbling for something. She stops still, and looks at her ruined Kissie. She frowns in annoyance.

"Buggar. Well, I'll have to scan you the old fashioned way," she says. She holds him by the shoulders, and squints at him, her head swaying slightly.

"Well, he's being honest. As to him _actually_ being Jack Harkness... well, that's not his name." His face becomes serious. I stare at him, my head tilting slightly. What is his name? And how does Jane know this? She gives him a a small smile.

"That's thrown you... And got your attention." She's still staring at him. "Wow. It's incredible. Staring at you. You are _so_ wrong... Really. It's like you're solid in time. As if you're an unchanging fact. It's a challenge to even _look_ at you..." she's shaking her head, and as she turns to walk away, I see her amazed smile.

"So you know, I call this place the Cathedral of Time. I'm partly Lord of Time. And the guy you thought was me is the Lord of Time." she looks at him again. "And you are _so_ wrong..."

"Well, what does it mean? Because if you're part Time L- Lord of Time, then surely you know." she gives him a puzzled smile.

"I've got no idea as what's wrong with you, let alone as to how to fix it... You need to understand. I'm all that's left of Gallifrey, and the Lords of Time. But I don't have their knowledge. I only know so much, because of my Kindred and Arcadian heritages. And in this universe, that knowledge isn't so useful. Oh, that reminds me... how did you get here?" she's walked off and started to examine the robotic arm whilst she was talking. Jack is staring at it from where he's standing.

"You said 'this' universe. And that's an interesting arm you have there. Seen that type before. And what's usually attached to those arms are _not_ good conversationalists." Jane is looking at Jack.

"You're not in your native universe. I'm not, either. I need to know how you got here. Because I get the feeling this is one huge jigsaw, waiting to be put together." she looks at me. "Cams, I said when we first found this place that someone was playing us. You have a place that goes through time and space – ideal for a base in a Time War. You're altered, and are a Tin Miss now. I've been altered further, and I've got experience in combat and politics. And now, we have a guy whose dealt with all sorts of problems. Whose dealt with these," she says, lifting up the arm, "And _these_," she says, lifting up the dome. From the corner of my eye, I see Jack stiffen and straighten massively. He's pointing a finger at it.

"No. That's not possible! They should all be dead!" he shouts. Jane is ignoring him, staring at the arm again. Her face is screwed up, as if she's trying to grasp something wispy in the air. Her face gains realisation. She looks at Jack, serious. I sideways glance at Derek. He seems to be having trouble understanding what's going on.

"Who should be all dead? No offence, but right now, I want _answers_." Oh. He's got his hand guns out, one pointed at Jane, the other at Jack. Jack is standing straight, feet slightly apart. Jane is standing up, tossing the arm to the floor, her face on the verge of hysterics.

"Captain, is he _threatening_ us?" she says, her voice failing to be serious. Jacks looking at her.

"I do believe he is," Jack replies in he clear American accent. Jane is now losing it, and is creasing up from half sniggering laughter.

"If you two don't talk, I'll kill you both. And if you get up, I'll know you're Metal."

"Metal?"

"Slang for Terminators. This universe has Terminators in them." Jack is now facing Jane, who is walking beside him.

"You _serious_?"

"Yep. Skynet, John Connor, the whole deal. I've yet to see platoons of Arnies yet, but it's true."

"A platoon of robotic Arnies. Giving me a few ideas right now." Jane is looking at him, bewildered.

"Does _everything_ for you lead to sex? Flames, it's like having Sir Shagalot next to me." Her face grows serious. "Can we focus now on the upset guy pointing guns at us?" her face blanks, her eyes widening in realisation. "And no comments about pointing guns. _Men_," she mutters, irritated.

"What about the dangers of firing blanks?" He asks with a smile. Jane just cringes. I'm tensing up, assessing if I should intervene, and if so, what the best strategy would be. Jane looks at me, and subtly shakes her head. She glances at Jack.

"Worse than Daniel," she mutters under her breath.

"Whose Daniel?"

"An ex-boyfriend of mine. He was always eager to screw me. With hindsight, probably to get me pregnant, so he could dump me and get me to be a single mum." Jane's now staring at Derek. "He's in prison now. Charged with my murder. When I Awakened, I found a week had gone by. I was looking like a cute little china doll, and everyone was convinced I was dead, because of all the blood found at the crime scene. I couldn't go and set things straight, because I'd have to go and explain my new look, the blood drenched room, and the O negative diet I'd picked up. Oh, and the lack of body heat and lack of heartbeat would have made for fun conversation pieces, too."

"Yeah, I get it. You're a monster." A single tear betrays Jane's thoughts at Derek's words.

"Really? If you think that, then just shoot me." Jack is looking at Jane now.

"Wait. You're part _Vampire_?" he asks incredulously. Derek is cranking back firing pins with his thumbs now.

"In my universe, there's a _lot_ of supernatural creatures and stuff. I was _born_ a half-breed. My mother died, never knowing that inside us is part leech. My father's millennia old. He _bred_ my family, and others for centuries. I've no idea as to how extensive the interbreeding is. Don't ask, we've little time, and it's a lot of back-story. A fair bit of it I'm still working out." She steps forward, her arms outstretched.

"Last chance. Start answering and explaining." Jane looks at him, disgusted.

"Do you know what I feel every time I drink blood? Shame. Guilt. Embarrassed. Dirty. I don't usually drink human blood, unless I _really_ have to. It's tolerated in Kindred society, because they know that if for a split second I feel the slightest desire to kill, I'll feel that person. I once had to kill some people, because they'd seen too much. I was having to end people's lives.

"During the fight, I ended up out of control. I was brand new and badly hurt. I was terrified. And I lost control. I bit into this guy's throat, and I couldn't stop myself. I _felt_ him die. We were joined, seeing his past, and his future, and I couldn't pull away. I felt his terror as he was dying.

"Wanna know something? If I hadn't killed him, he'd have raped countless women. Gotten a taste for sadistic murder, working for the Russian Mafia. I hate myself for killing him, but I know that I gave all his future victims a chance." She's crying now, sniffling as well. "I'm not a monster. Because a monster would _never_ hate killing. What about _you_? Can you say that you sleep easy at night after killing people?"

"You're lying." Oh. This is going badly. Very badly. I know Derek. He's going to shoot. His emotions are building up inside him, and I know what he's like when this happens. Jane's looking at me, silently telling me to not to do anything. Jack is walking forward now, clearly having lost patience.

"This is getting out of hand. Just put the guns-" deafening shots ring out, echoing in the large domed chamber. Jack falters, blood filling his mouth. His eyes are wide with pain, and I know what they are seeing. I've seen it before. When people are about to die. He falls to his knees, and Jane is screaming in anger and shock, rushing forwards to help him. Derek's too much on edge. He's now firing freely at the two of them, clearly not processing the situation properly. I'm too shocked to move. I see the bullets cut Jane down, collapsing limply to the floor, Jack has fallen back first, eyes wide and blank of life, his mouth slightly open. I swallow hard. Derek is looking at them, his brain processing everything that's happened. He's looking shocked and horrified, his hands trembling.

"I... I..." I feel anger and hate swell up inside me. I pull out a gun, and point it at his ear-hole.

"Drop them to the floor." I say as calmly as I can manage. He lets go, letting them clatter on the floor. He's there, trembling from the drain of adrenaline, stricken at what he's done.

"I just wanted answers," he says weakly. He sinks to the floor, guilt wracking him. I put my gun away. Too much blood has been spilled. And it's pooling around them both. I just close my eyes. Jane was my friend. Now she's dead. I can't believe it. I can't-

I hear a loud gasp for breath. I open my eyes to see Captain Jack propping himself up on his elbows, mouth wide as he's desperately, his eyes bulging with renewed life. It takes a moment for him to start registering where he is, and what's happened. I hear a thudding sound next to me. Oh. It's Derek. He's fainted. I think I'm either unable to simulate such a response, or I'm too used to strange things happening. I tilt my head slightly, and then extend a hand to him, crouching down to the best position to help him up.

"You should be dead," I say matter-of-factly. He just smiles as he accepts my hand.

"Thousands of times," he says as I haul him up efficiently. He looks at me, interested.

"You're too strong to be a human."

"I'm a Tin Miss. A cybernetic organism." He's looking at me, as if evaluating possibilities for something.

"I'm fully capable of fighting Metal, and whatever the... things were that came through the tear. If that's what you're evaluating." he smiles.

"No, but it's good to know. Well, she was right," he says ruefully. I tilt my head, and frown slightly?

"Who is 'she'?" He looks at me, his eyes full of sadness, and... old. Like he's much older than his apparent age.

"In my universe, there was this race called the Sontarans. They were converting Earth into a clone world, which would have killed everything alive on the planet. Me and my team were fighting it. And two people I _really_ care about died. I got captured, and because I can't die, they'd started sending me back to their homeworld, to see if they could add some of that into their people. In my cell this woman in black battle armour and this _really_ funky sword just materialised, and got _this_" he points to his wrist, and the item strapped to it, "To work properly again. She told me to get back to my base, so I did. Except I woke up in a storage cupboard in this place."

"Oh." That's all I can say to that. Jack is kneeling next to Jane. After checking her, he looks up, and shakes his head. I frown slightly, tilting my head forwards a little.

"She might be okay. She's been through much worse." I look at him in the eye. "Why can't you die?"

Jack stands up, and walks to the discarded dome, and picks it up.

"I was travelling in this place, with the Lord of Time, as you call him, and this really nice blonde. Great person to know. Anyway, we ended up on a space station orbiting Earth. The year 200,100. We ended up finding a fleet of _them_ hidden away, invisible, and when we revealed them, they started to invade. We mounted a defence, to buy time for the lord of Time to build a weapon to stop them." he looks at the dome.

"I was the last man standing. I had fired every last bullet at them. I stood there, and challenged them to exterminate me. And they did. Thing is, I suddenly woke up, and all of them were just piles of dust. I rushed back, to find the TA-Cathedral disappearing. So, I used _this_," he says, showing the item strapped to his wrist. "To teleport me back to early Twenty First century Earth, to settle down, base myself. Find the Lord of Time, get answers. Problem is I got things a little wrong. So, I end up in 1869, and it burnt out. Then I started discovering I can't die. Couple of accidents were the first clues. Couple more accidents, and I got the message: I can't die. And I'm no closer to finding the answers." Jack exhales noisily. I give him a small smile.

"I'm sure that Jane can find them for you. She may not be the Lord of Time, but she _is _clever. I believe in her." Suddenly, there's a small growl from Jane's body. Her head jerks up, and moves around in a feral, primal fashion. She's on her feet in a blur of motion, working out where she is, looking for threats. After a couple of seconds, she's realising where she is, and starts to relax. She looks at the floor, and sees the blood. There's a flash of recognition, and she swiftly kicks Derek in the bottom, making him grunt.

"Pathetic moosehead! _Americans_! Always thinking with guns and bullets!" she screams. She walks around the mess, and leans forward on the console to calm down.

"He's damned lucky we weren't normal humans... We'd be dead by now." She's deeply upset. She looks at the blood soaked clothes, and without a thought strips out of them, leaving her lacy black lingerie and garter-held stockings on. She ties her hair back, still clearly angry.

"I _hate_ wearing clothes soaked in blood." She says it like it is a regular thing for her. Maybe it is. Jack is giving her a though examination, looking up and down a few times, eyebrow raised.

"You know, that is quite a nice lace pattern there. And it shows off your womanly shape beautifully." She looks at him, irritated.

"I'm trapped in the body of a teenager. Womanly isn't too likely."

"Still have nice curves," he comments. She rolls her eyes and blushes. I look at her nearly naked body, and I think of marble statues carved by skilled artists. I feel my food processing systems jump and twist as I look at her. She suddenly winces.

"Ah... I think I tore a muscle or something in my back," she says, annoyed. Jack walks to her, and places his firm hands on the small of her back. Oh. He's massaging her. I feel something as I watch him do that. Oh. I want to eject the contents of my food processing systems. And there is something wrong with my diagnostics. They are telling me my throat is clear of obstructions when I feel there's something stuck in it. Jane gasps, her eyes closed and screwing up, her head lifting up. There's a look of peace, happiness.

Her eyes snap open, as if she's realised something, and her face turns to horror. She spins round, and pushes Jack away, like she's a frightened child. She waves trembling fingers at him.

"Don't _ever_ touch me like that again! _Ever_! Not like that! Not..." she looks away from him. I move closer to her, upset and worried for her. Oh. She's crying, and rubbing the base of her left ring finger. Jack is looking at her, as if understanding perfectly what's happened. Like he knows through experience.

"I won't." she shoves her glasses back up her nose. She suddenly turns and half runs out of the chamber.

"I'm going to bed!" she half sobs. I start to follow her, but a hand holds me back. I turn, and move my head up to look at Jack's face. There is a tenderness smoothed over it.

"Leave her be. She needs to be alone." He says gently.

"Why?" he looks at where Jane went with a pained look.

"Because I stopped her repressing the memory of her dead fiancée or husband." he says quietly. Oh. She was rubbing her ring finger...

"Oh." It's all I can say.


	12. The Morning After

**The Morning After**

I stir and groan as I slowly restart my systems. It's weird. I'm not just switching on any more. I take time, and I like that fact. I like switching on slowly in bed. It feels nice. I stretch out in bed, as I realise it's my bed in the Cathedral I'm in. I nibble on my lower lip. I like the warmth. It is irrelevant to my needs, but I still like it. Like Chocolate. I really want to lie in bed, and eat some chocolate right now.

I start accessing my memories, and I remember what happened last night. I feel bad, though I also remember the talk Jack and I had. He'd explained that he'd been born in the fifty first century in his universe. His wrist device was capable of shifting him through time and space. And he'd ended up meeting the Lord of Time, and travelled with him, along with this girl in her late teens. And he'd died fighting the domed creatures that we kept out of my universe. Apparently they are a lot like Terminators, but created by a crippled scientist on a far off world. Mutant monsters bred, then wrapped around metal and circuits. They wiped out all life on their planet, except for the one who created them. And then they went forth, killing off life on other planets. Unstoppable, until the Lords of Time themselves stepped in. When he started talking about it I realised that Jane had mentioned it. I felt sad for some reason. Something inside me felt sorrow, like a part of me was mourning. I didn't understand. I still don't. They were all wiped out. It seems, though that some of those mutant monsters survived. I'm glad I helped to keep them and the other creatures out of this universe.

I reluctantly crawl out of bed. I shuffle to the shower, looking forward to the warm water washing and caressing my body. I step into the cubicle, and press a couple of buttons, and warm water floods out of the shower head. I close my eyes, and splash my face with the clear, pure water. Skynet made sure that I could have tactile responses, to allow for better infiltration. I turn around, and let the water soak my hair. It must take ages for Jane to wash her hair. It's very long. How long does it take to grow your hair down below your waist? I shake my hair, to help it get properly wet. I smile at the cleansing action. I reach for the shampoo, which seems to be made with natural ingredients. I open it, and sniff it, my head leaning forward to stop water going in the bottle. Oh. What an interesting combination. I think there is beer in this. I smile as I sniff it again. I squeeze out a carefully measured amount into my hand, and lather my hair with it. I wash it out, and then I put the bottle back, and use the conditioner. Oh. Coconut and vanilla. A lovely smell. I lather some in, allowing a little time for it to soak in. I learnt that from overhearing the girls at school. There is a girl who said I am a Bitchwhore. She seems to have a lot of information about fashion. She was the one who told me about using conditioner. She said it after speaking negatively about my hair. I'm still not certain if she is being nasty to me, or trying to help me. Maybe it's both.

I lather myself with shower gel. It's made with some natural ingredients as well. I feel good, refreshed. I switch off the water, and walk out of the shower, wrapping myself in the oversized towel hanging up next to the shower. Soft. Very, very soft. I rub my face in the towel, smiling as I do so. This, I think, is luxury. I start rubbing my hair dry with the towel. I go to the wardrobe. What should I wear? I look to the floor. Long skirt or dress. That would seem a possibility... but it is too colourful. I think it is from the nineteen sixties.

"I need clothes that fit in Victorian England," I say quietly with a sigh. I step backwards with shock as I see the wardrobe slide away, and a new wardrobe slides forward. That... that is whack. I remember some of the kids at school use it. It seems the right word. I remember the complete phrase.

"Dude, that is totally whack," I comment to myself. I just don't get it. But that is part of what I like about the Cathedral. All of the strange magic. It's one reason why I like Jane's Book of Shadows. It is _so_ full of magic. I should make one. Make a book of magic. Jane did. That Book of hers is hand-made. I step forward, quickly assessing each item. I stop, and close my eyes. The system function of highlighting every item I am scanning, or analysing... I am finding it annoying. _Very_ annoying. My head jerks slightly as I disable that function. I set it to function only when it is important, or for key tasks. I also start writing a subroutine program to assess my HUD setup. It's Skynet. It made it. I feel sadness at doing it, but also anger. I want to be myself. I don't want to be the same as all the others that came from the production lines. I want to be unique. I want to be Cameron Phillips. I want to be unique. Individual. A Tin Miss. I look at my injured arm. The scars are fading, but are still nasty looking. I can't strip my organics off.

I stare at the clothes. How many Terminators walk around with my face? What happened to the girl or woman that supplied me with my flesh? What happened to her? All I know is that I want to go out of the Cathedral, find the Metal freak that's out there, and kill it. When I think of Metals out there, killing people, subverting history to Skynet's design... it's like there is a roaring fire burning inside my torso. I don't understand it. And I don't want to. I just want it dead. All dead. Oh. That outfit will do nicely. _Very_ nicely.

I put on a white lacy pair of knickers on. I pause, my shoulders hunching forward, my breasts shifting in the process. My head shifts forward a little, my eyes widening. Satin. I've never worn satin knickers before. My body is reacting. I slightly shift my hips, to create further sensations. I know something from this new information. I want to wear a satin bra. That one matches the knickers. I put it on, and I feel my left eyelid twitch. I don't understand, but satin feels... nice. I brush my hair behind my ears. I need to focus on the mission. When I get back to my time, I'll spend the rest of the night working out my flesh response to satin. I know, though, that there is a switch flipped in my head. It's not physical. It's a part of my personality. I'll need to study this further. To understand this. But not now. Now, I have to catch Metal. Oh. I feel my food processing system produce pain. Okay, I'll deal with the Metal problem after I have had something to eat.

I put on the shirt, white cotton with blue stripes. It's not the brilliant white I'm familiar with. I guess this century doesn't have the same sort detergent. Rounded ends to the collar. I hadn't thought they could – or would – do that. I wonder if it is a fashion thing. I try to keep in the know with fashion. Even when I was worthless Metal, I kept track. It was something I preferred to do. I next put on a black tie with dark yellow stripes. I make it a neat knot, right up to the collar. I flap it down, the look in the mirror reflecting back at me is one of formality, efficiency. I put on the skirt, an ankle length affair, a light ochre colour with three horizontal black stripes at the bottom. I tuck the fat end into my skirt, along with the bottom of my shirt. I turn from side to side, appraising myself in the mirror. I like the look. I put on the jacket, noting the two tones to the lapels. The top part going around my neck, a mid brown colour. The shoulders have a slightly puffy look where the sleeve joins the main part of the suit top. I button up the three brown material covered buttons at the waist, clinching the material to my waistline. I like the look. If I was going to high school in this period, I'd be wearing this for sure. I look at how the suit top flows down to halfway down my invisible thighs. I look at the back. Interesting. It's slightly longer. There's no split. I think it would look better with a split. I put the hat and brown leather gloves on. Yes. They work with this outfit. I choose from the wardrobe a pair of black ankle boots. I take a final look in the mirror. I give a small, sharp nod of approval. I walk out of the door. Where to go, though? I sniff the air. Oh. That smells _good_...

I walk down the corridor, following the smell. It smells better than Mom's cooking. Sarah Connor might be an excellent soldier, but she's an awful cook. Which I have never understood, given the time she's spent as a waitress. I enter the kitchen, which seems to be modelled after an old farmhouse. The Cathedral is a strange place to be in. Totally whack. Jane is busy cooking something. There is a song I've never heard before playing. A female voice, with piano.

"Your presence still linger here." I hear her sniffling, like she's fighting back tears. I step closer.

"Damned onions get me every time." She walks to one of the counters, and grabs a bowl of yellow liquid. It has unidentified bits in it. That's annoying. The letters appearing in my eyes when I detect something. I make it passive. If I was human, it would by subconscious. There's something pink. That has to be meat. Yes. The lack of words is better. She looks at me and smiles. Oh. Her eyes are puffy from crying.

"These won't seem to heal; This pain is just too real; There's just too much that time cannot erase," Jane quickly puts the bowl on the counter again, and starts sobbing. I put my hand on her shoulder. She rubs her cheek into my gloved hand.

"This song... I played it over and over. They should never have given me two weeks off. Just spent the time listening to this song over and over, getting drunk on Absinthe and getting stoned..." She turns to me, and slides her arms around my waist.

"I once knew this guy. He was really, really wonderful. Luke. Being with him was amazing. Like a roller coaster in my heart." She looks me in the eye. "He meant the world to me. He proposed, I said yes. I got away from that fast food job, and got settled in a bank. He loved me to bits. Even when I put on a little wait. I got wound up by it, he just called me his chubby princess.

"Anyway, we were travelling home one night. We'd been in in a different town. It was a dark country lane. We were chatting, teasing each other. I'd just kissed him on the cheek." Her eyes close, and screw up tightly. "It's my fault, because I'd distracted him. There was this deer, and it had gone into the road. I'd distracted him, and it meant he'd lost all reaction time." She starts to sniffle. "He swerved. I felt terror as the car went off the road and into a field, cruising along on the roof. We smacked into this fallen tree, and..." She looks away, her eyes screwed shut again.

"They say it was instant. The branch had gone right through his head. I had bits of his brain in my hair. My shoulder was dislocated, and my hip hurt like mad. What scared me though was the fact I was looking down at my jeans, and I was seeing this wet patch. Then the blood appeared." She looks to the floor. "I ended up in hospital, and they told me the horrible truth: I was several months pregnant, and I was giving birth. The blood was a bad sign." She stays silent for a moment. "I gave birth to a little boy. Gods it hurt like hell. I'd this hairline fracture to my hip. Didn't help. And that kid, he was so _tiny_. So small." she looks at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "He was stillborn. With a kiss, I'd killed my fiancée and son. I _killed_ them." she suddenly bursts into tears, burying her head into my chest. I think that's because she's so short. She's holding me tightly. I place my arms around her. It seems the right thing to do. I've learnt to do that more. Do what feels right.

"It wasn't. It was a coincidence." We both turn to look at the doorway. Derek is there, still rubbing his hair dry with a towel. He seems different. I can't place it. "You're not to blame." Jane just snorts at this. She gets some kitchen roll, and blows her nose, placing the used paper in the bin straight away. She looks at Derek, puffy-faced from crying. Oh. Jack is by the cooker, and has put the frying pan away from the heat.

"There's no such thing as coincidence," she says bitterly. She collapses to the floor, like a puppet with strings cut. She curls up into a ball, sobbing, her plaited hair looking like a snake on the floor. Jack is looking at me. It's like a look I've seen sometimes outside, the sort of look fathers give their children sometimes.. He's silently gesturing to me to hold her, to comfort her. I nod, and lie next to her. I wrap an arm around her.

"I told no-one about my son. I buried him in secret. I couldn't... I _couldn't_... How could I tell people I murdered my own son? _How_? A child with Luke...It's what I always wanted, and I killed them both!" She's just sobbing hysterically now. I look up, my eyes pleading with Jack and Derek for some kind of assistance. Derek is looking uncomfortable, as if he can't handle being caring. Jack sits besides Jane.

"You're a great mother," he says softly. Jane looks at him, her head twisting to try and look at him.

"Then why is he dead? _Why_?"

"Life can be cruel like that." He takes a sharp breath. "I worked with this guy called Owen. Great doctor. Could be an ass, but his heart was in the right place. He was shot dead protecting someone he'd just met. And I used this alien technology to bring him back to life just long enough for us to say goodbye to him. Except it messed up, and kept him going. He was clinically dead, but still with us." Jane is panting painfully, her hand touching his heart.

"Your grief.. so much grief... and guilt. You feel guilt." She grips his arm.

"Anyway, this team I ran was based in Cardiff. Nice place. Someone decided to hold a vendetta with me. Several explosions crippled that city. We were scattered. The local nuclear power station was affected. Owen went to it to stop the meltdown that was in progress. Another team member, Tosh was helping him in the Hub. Our headquarters. Except the guy behind it all was there, and shot her." Jack starts to fight back tears.

"Don't say any more. I know. Your pain... They died, didn't they? They stopped the meltdown, but died." Jane's head tilts slightly.

"Tosh... she died in your arms, didn't she?" Jack looks away.

"The rest of my team was killed stopping these aliens called Sontarans. Really short guys. Faces a bit like Mister Potato Head. They died stopping them from poisoning the planet." He looks at Jane, who is now sitting up on the floor, hugging her legs. I stroke her cheek. Right now, I think she's the most beautiful person I've ever seen. Jack is silently crying, eyes wide, aching with pain.

"I was pinned down. Couldn't do a thing. Gwen. She was so brave. She was there, standing tall and proud, ordering them to shoot her. That she wasn't going down without a fight. She had this look of fiery defiance. Loved that about her. The way she could care about people. She was defying them, because she cared about Earth. She was their prisoner, and they just shot her. Both her and Ianto." Jane is holding his hands.

"Life can be cruel like that," She says softly. Her eyes are full of understanding and emotion. Her sad smile is there. The one where the edges of her lips curve upwards slightly. I sigh.

"If Jane is right, then you live for a reason. You came to us for a reason." I look at him, wide-eyed. "We need you. On this team."

"I don't get all of this alien crap, but I know that a man who can't die could be very useful taking down Skynet. Just don't come on to me again." I look up, staring at Derek. She's uncomfortable, wanting to help and say things, but he can't. I've just realised. He's damaged. Like a broken toy. Inside, he doesn't work right. Like his heart is somewhat disconnected. I look at him, and I feel such tremendous sorrow and pity for him. Not like I will ever tell him that. He'd probably dismantle me on the spot. He walks into the kitchen.

"I also want my guns back. Someone's replaced them with bananas." Oh. That's strange... I never thought about my guns. Jack for some reason laughs at that.

"I've had that happen to me as well. Using this sonic blaster to create an emergency exit for me and a couple others, and _some_one had to go and switch it with a banana."

"Bananas are good," Jane says quietly, smiling slightly. She's making small pointing gestures to Jack's holster. He pulls out his gun. No, it's too yellow. Oh. It's a banana. Jack laughs, and jokingly stabs Jane with it, pushing it gently into her shoulder. She's smiling smugly.

"Guns are bad. We proved that last night," she says softly. She gets up off the floor, washes her hands and starts cooking again.

"Guns won't be too effective against a Terminator. We can't get anything from this time that'll have the fire-power, unless we want to lug cannons around. We have advanced technology at our disposal. I suggest we use it." Jack gives a lopsided grin.

"You know, I remember finding a lab in this place that had several cans of this sprayable explosive. The D- Lord of Time called it Nitro Nine. Said an old travelling companion of his called Ace kept making and using it." Jane smiles ruefully.

"_That_ stuff... I nearly blew my head off with it. Thought it was hairspray." Jack laughs, and Derek chuckles a little too. I just smile slightly.

"It is fortunate you didn't use it. It would have created a hair-raising experience," I respond dead-pan. Jack laughs some more, and Jane just looks at me annoyed, though she starts sniggering a little too. Derek is looking at me with shock.

"You just made a joke," he says stunned. I look at him and shrug. Jack is wiping his eyes.

"I needed a laugh," he says in that clear American accent. Jane nods at that.

"I think I needed that as much as I need this food," she says gently. She's cooking something with great efficiency. I think she's used to cooking. She turns to Jack.

"You know where the pepper is, right? This omelette mix could do with some more," she comments. Jack gets up, straightens his black waistcoat and goes to one of the hanging cupboards. He reminds me of the old swashbuckler films that show late at night. Nice eyes, strong jawline... he hands the pepper to Jane, and props himself against the counter next to her.

"You've not answered my question, by the way."

"There's nothing to answer."

"So there's no chance of getting some tail with you then?" Jane sputters, and spins round at him, eyes wide with infuriation, waving a fish-slice at his face.

"You don't _discuss_ that! It's rude!" she says, hurt and wound up. She angrily gets back to cooking the omelette.

"And how is it rude?"

"Not all of us have it. And those who do don't ever show it. Except for one or two weirdos who are proud of it... Nutters. It's shameful. _Wrong_."

"I'm just saying that there's possibilities with that tail." Jane jumps, and looks at Jack in shock. She seems hurt. And guessing by the redness of her face, she's embarrassed, too.

"She's part Faerie. Turns out it means she has these peculiarities that appear in her Default Form. Like the webbed fingers and tail." he looks at Jane. Derek is looking wide-eyed and open mouthed at the pair. I'm feeling a little shocked, too. Wait. I remember once seeing something bulging at the back of her trousers. It must have been a tail.

"Course, she went and shifted back to her human looking self quick-smart." He touches her shoulder gently. "I could teach you a few tricks with it," he says suggestively. Jane's just hacking the omelette up vigorously now. Derek is frowning.

"What's with it with you and sex?"

"He's from the fifty first century. Well, in his universe. Don't know what happens in this universe that far in the future. Anyway, humans have has thousands of years to go out, explore, and meet other species. They lose the boundaries that we would have now. Twenty first century humans have labels and categories. In his universe, the fifty first doesn't have them. Well, they don't screw children or dead people. But aliens, male, female... They also have this pheromones to them increases attraction. Usually." she looks at him, her head craning to look up at him. "And the smell gives me a bit of a headache."

"So you're saying he's bisexual?" Derek is looking confused again.

"More Anything-sexual. Been hitting on _me_ all morning." She's waving the fish-slice at him again.

"I nearly blew up my new Kissie! Distracting me like that when I'm hooking up its power core," she says accusingly. She starts stabbing and demolishing the omelette again. Derek is scratching his sideburn, frowning slightly. I get up off from the floor.

"So, if he encounters Metal, will he kill it or seduce it?" Jane just groans.

"_Please_ don't... I've been having to listen to his sick fantasies with platoons of Arnie-bots, Wasn't too helpful when " she mutters wearily. She starts serving up the food, shoving a plate into Derek. He sniffs it cautiously, and quickly grabs a fork from the table and starts eating enthusiastically.

"You can't tell me that you've never thought about what it'd be like with a cybernetic organism like that type?" Jane is hastily serving up another plate. She puts it on the table. Derek is still standing, wolfing it down. I never understood that phrase. People don't eat wolves. It's a totally whack phrase. I've just realise I like saying that. Totally whack. Yes. I like saying it a lot. She silently indicates that it's my food. I go for it eagerly. Jane starts cooking some more with some of the remaining mix.

"_I_ can't believe that we have to find and stop a Skynet threat, and we are busy talking about _humping_ it!" Jane says exasperated. "It's like being with the dictionary definition of permanently horny." she sounds really irritated.

"Coming from _some_one who made that woman go down on her in that alleyway," Jack says mock accusingly. Jane spins around, furious. I feel confused. Go down where?

"That's _different_," she says in a tone that suggests she's about to tear Jack apart. She goes back to cooking.

"And _how_ is it different?" Jack isn't angry, more eager for Jane to confront her emotions. And this food is _good_. Mom's cooking is never this good. Jane's silent

"Derek, I wish Mom could cook as good as this," I whisper to him. He looks at me, understanding and agreement in his eyes.

"She's not your Mom," he says, more pointing out a fact than with any emotion.

"I know. I wish she was. I wish you were my uncle," I confess. He looks at me, eyebrow raised.

"You do?"

"Yes. It'd be tight."

"_How_ is it different?" Jack is persistent. Jane is attacking the half cooked omelette. She seems to do that an awful lot when she's angry.

"Because I had no choice!" she seems really upset.

"I may _look_ human, but I'm a hybrid species. One that's genetically wired to desire reproduction. I've not had sex in a couple or so months. So, I had too much pent up energy. I needed to get rid of it, so I can focus properly on the mission. Besides... what she said to that black guy was _so_ totally wrong... she had it coming..." Jack is now very interested.

"So, you're biologically a nymphomaniac," he says, more a statement of fact than an inquiry. Jane nods, then cringes.

"Oh bollocks... Don't you _dare_ get any bright ideas..." she says angrily as she serves up then shoves into his chest a plate of omelette. Jack winces in pain, but sits at the table, and gets a fork. Jane is serving up some omelette for herself. She sits at the table, stares at it, and grumpily pushes it away. She goes into one of the cupboards, and gets out a few large bars of chocolate. I coo in delight while Derek puts his empty plate onto the table, and sits down at it. He points at Jane's omelette, and she flicks her hand grouchily. She's eating the chocolate with a lot of enthusiasm. I stick out my lower lip. _I_ want some... Jane notices my response, and goes into the cupboard and throws at me a couple of large bars. There's a look in her eyes. I don't know. I've seen it before. With Morris. Sometimes, when he talks to me, he has the same look in his eyes.

"You know, it's nice to have food that isn't made by Sarah," he says simply. "She's a terrible cook." He's shaking his head at the memory. I nod in agreement.

"Her way of cooking is totally whack," Everyone is staring at me now. I look at them, confused. "It is," I insist. Jane smiles.

"Anyway, we need a plan for this afternoon," she says quietly. Everyone is staring at her.

"Since Jack and I failed with our attempt at some Spock-"

"_Spock_? Is that some sexual term?"

"No Derek. We tried to use technology to trace the missing Terminator. Thing is, the energy signatures are masked. So, you are going to mop up the blood off the floor in the control room. Then you can read all of the newspapers."

"I dread to ask why."

"Because there might be something useful. A clue or something. Me, Cams and Jack will go to the police station. See if we can track it down through stolen clothes. From that, we take it from there." Derek is frowning.

"Why not check out the crater a bit more?"

"Because we did that this morning. We got nothing." Derek is looking as shocked as I am.

"_Morning_?" he sputters. I feel a small frown creep onto my face.

"Yeah. You two were dead to the world, so we used the time productively. Plus, we don't need much sleep."

"I suggest we get going. The sooner we track it down, the better the chances of us stopping it."

"I agree. Cams, you ready?" I silently nod, my mouth full of chocolate.

"Then let's get rolling."


	13. The Seventeenth Victim

**Author's Notes: **I am doing all I can to get the period right. This means doing research. So, please be aware that I'm likely to make mistakes. If anyone spots a mistake, please let me know.

On a plus note, I've _finally_ gotten to where I've wanted to get to. It's taken a blasted while, but things should get more "Terminatory" from here on. Please don't be afraid to leave reviews, good or bad; it's what helps to make this better.

And now, on with the story…

**The Seventeenth Victim**

I gaze at the street, the milling of people. I look, wide-eyed at the horse-based transport. I follow it, unblinking, as it trots past. No cars. I scan the whole street. Nothing. I can't believe it. Streets without cars. My memory wasn't filled with much history. Only enough for me to integrate in the late twentieth and early twentieth centuries. I suddenly feel lost. I think of what data was put in by Skynet. It doesn't cover this time period at all. I don't think it even knows what has been in the past. I just stare at it all. So different. So utterly different.

"Someone seems to be in time shock." I jump, and jerk my head sideways, to see who said that. Oh. Jack said it. I frown slightly.

"There are no cars. No headphones. No cell phones. The houses... All of it is different. The people are reacting differently, too." I stare at Jack and Jane. "It's totally whack." I just stare at the street again, feeling the fear claw in the bottom of my food processors. I don't know how to integrate. To blend in. This feels like a core part of who I am, the need to be a part of whenever I am. And I can't. I don't know _how_ to....

"Cams, it's okay. Before I integrated, I took a took of various ages of history. Partly as a tourist exercise, partly to stop myself from reacting like you are now. I guessed that at some point, we'd need to. I've always guessed that Skynet might do something like this. Made all these little contingencies as a precaution."

"What contingencies are they?" Jack asks, an eyebrow raised. I turn to look at Jane. She has this faraway look, a sadness locked inside those brilliant green eyes of hers. She turns to look at both of us, her head tilting upwards in the process, her maroon beret almost falling off.

"Jack, if we need them, we'll use them. Talking of needing and using..." She pushes her geeky glasses up her nose and walks into the road. She starts waving her arms, her silver capped cane firmly griped on her right hand. I don't understand her clothes. A red scarf that trails to her ankles doesn't seem to fit in with the general fashion of the period. She has the exact same black coat she had on last night. One of the horse-pulled vehicles is making a u-turn, and stops in front of her. She quickly runs to the driver.

"Can you take us to the local police station, my kind sir?" she says in a slightly well-to-do English accent. It seems strange to hear her speak like that. He nods his head.

"It'll cost you lot a penny," he says in a rough, heavy voice. Jane smiles, and flips to him two large dark coloured coins. She excitedly gets into the carriage on the other side to me. Jack opens the door for me.

"Ladies first," he says, still wearing his World War Two pilots long coat, but is wearing black trousers, and a smart purple and black waistcoat. I nod a thanks to him. I climb aboard, and sit next to an enthusiastic Jane. Jack closes the door and sits down opposite us as the vehicle pulls off. I turn to Jane.

"What is this form of transport?" she smiles at me like a happy little girl.

"Horse-drawn carriage. Isn't it great? I made sure we had a stupid amount of money, to make sure we could get about town with some ease." Jack looks at Jane seriously.

"What are we going to ask the police?" Jane gives him a wink.

"Already thought of. They have to have some knowledge of the crater the Terminator made. Also, stolen clothes: if someone robbed for them was male or female, it'll help to give us a couple of ideas as to what to look for. Also, the clothes themselves might have been recorded. That information, along with any description of the assailant, could help us clock the tin can if we bump into it."

"Oh. You _have_ thought about this," I comment, impressed. A thought come to me.

"But what about it's mission? Why is it in nineteen eighty eight?"

"No idea. But it has to be in two general categories: assist in the creation of Skynet, stop the formation of the human resistance." I feel my face slacken with realisation.

"John – Future John – would never think of this." I look to the floor, a small frown to my eyes shift from left to right, trying to work out the impact.

"Skynet could win with no possible contest." I look up, and see Jack's face is serious and worried. I want to cry at the thought of everything I've worked with Mom and John and Derek being wiped out before there's even a chance. Oh. My life would be different. I'd be one of _them_ again. And humanity would be wiped out again. I stare at Jane in the eye.

"I don't want to become a soulless monster again. _Ever_," I say with passion. Jane gives me a reassuring smile.

"You won't. Know why? Because _we_ are the secret weapon Skynet doesn't know about. The one thing about this mission that it never had a chance to factor in."

"I take it you've got a plan when we are at the station? Like, say, our cover story?" She grins at Jack.

"Of course. I've got all bases covered." She turns to look outside the carriage, gazing behind us. "All except for who – or – what is following us. I'll say this, they're _good._ Very hard to get on my personal radar. And I'm built to track an awful lot down."

"Is it the same as last night?" I ask her.

"Yeah. Followed us this morning, too." Jack is looking shocked and worried now?

"And you didn't think to _mention _it?" Jane looks at him seriously.

"First, I wanted to study our mystery friend. Second, it's not Skynet, so it's not a priority right now. Third, if it was interested in being hostile, it'd have attacked last night. So, I'm patiently studying our mystery friend, to see what I can learn." the carriage stops. Jane jumps out of her seat, and eagerly opens the door.

"Tally-ho," she says to us. She jumps out, and turns to look at us getting out. Jack barely has time to close the door before she marches confidently into the police station. She stride forward, perfectly poised, like she is a lady who was born in this time. Back straight, a regal glide to the front desk. A uniformed officer looks up at her as we catch up. She holds up and opens up this black leather wallet.

"Constable, I represent the War Office. I am Field Agent Agatha Marple. And this," she says gesturing to me and Jack, "Is Captain Fox Mulder and Agent Dana Scully." She leans closer to him, her voice becoming quieter and more urgent.

"We are on a matter of Queen and country. We believe the Germans have been testing a new sort of weapon on British soil. In a street quite close to the Royal London Hospital. It left its mark on the cobbles itself. Circular indentation, like a sphere has indented into it."

"Yeah, it's been like that for a year and a half. Local authorities gave up repairing it. Everyone just drives around it." I see Jane's in profile. She has a small turning upwards to her nose. I'd never noticed it before. I think it's an attractive feature. Her face is growing more worried.

"We also suspect that the Germans might be using strange infiltration tactics. Accosting people whilst naked to steal their clothes."

"Yeah, we've had that. One just last night. Gentleman. We have the report. It's in with CID. Strange business, if you ask me. Not on the scale of old Jack, mind you." Jane smiles gracefully at him.

"It would most useful if we could see that report." She pauses. "We have been on the Continent, working undercover to assess the German threat. How many murders have been officially attributed to Fiend Jack?" the Constable rubs his chubby chin.

"Well, seventeen if you count last nights' murder." Jack explodes with shock.

"_What_?" Jane seems startled, too.

"That is far more than what our Intelligence had indicated. If this was to come out, the embarrassment to Her Majesty's Metropolitan Constabulary, not to mention to the Empire... the Germans might well exploit this." She looks at Jack.

"Captain Mulder, I think we have a duty to the Empire to at the least investigate superficially. If it is acceptable?" The Constable looks concerned and hopeful.

"Between you and me, ma'am, I think any help would be an asset." he says in a low tone. "I'll just get the Inspector in charge of the investigation." I watch as he hurries off. Jack spins to look at Jane.

"Gotta say... you're _good_," he remarks with a small smile. "Jack never killed that many people, though."

"I know," Jane says sadly. I look at them both, my head moving between the two.

"Who is Jack?" I ask them. Jane looks at Jack, who with a simple nod is telling Jane to explain. Jane closes her eyes, and sighs heavily.

"Jack the Ripper. The first modern day serial killer. Police were clueless. They stood no chance in catching him, because the investigation was a mess. But they had never had a murder case like it. Because of Jack, they started to develop the foundations of modern day police detection methods. They were brutal murders, but those poor souls didn't die in vain." She sounds sad.

"But there were only five official murders." I look at Jack. I swallow hard.

"This isn't tight," I say. I can't keep anger and frustration from my voice. They know so much. And I'm confused so by much... so often. I'm stupid and pathetic. I feel hands on both my shoulders. Jane and Jack have each placed a hand on them.

"We'll make it tight. I promise. Even if I have to find him myself and snap his neck." I look at Jane, who's looking at Jack negatively.

"No. I'll track him down. I can do it more effectively. More importantly, I'll kill him instantly." She shows us a bracelet. "One needle in the right spot. Because whilst I'm a Pacifist, I know that sometimes, killing is unavoidable." She sounds regretful, saddened by this. The Constable returns with a tall, thin man, with weary eyes and mutton chop sideburns. He extends a hand to Jack.

"I'm Inspector Bennett, Captain Mulder. Normally, I'd be offended greatly by the War Office intervening in this way, but..." his voice lowers to an urgent whisper. "People are scared. We are at a loss as to how catch this monster." Jack just nods professionally.

"Lead the way."

We follow, me copying the way Jane is walking, and combining it with elements of the striding march Jack has. We go down a few corridors, and into a large room. As soon as we enter, everyone is is growing silent, looking up, with expectant hop in their eyes. I look to Jack and Jane for guidance. Jack is looking around, as is Jane. She's frowning slightly, as if looking for something.

"Where is the map?" Inspector Bennett looks at her, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"A street map of the area, with marker dots or pins to show the locations of the murders. Then, you can observe patterns, and possibly reduce the likely areas of the murderers home. Also, putting up pictures of the victims. Always gives me a focus when I'm investigating matters like this. Also, is there a file yet for the victim last night?" Jane asks, looking around as if people are dazed. Jack is getting annoyed. I'm getting bored. I start to look at files that are on the desk nearest to me. I see a couple of pictures of the murdered women. I don't understand. It's brutal. Something that I can't get.

"Okay people, like the lady said," Jack says. People start busying themselves, and a young gentleman hands Jane a file. Her eyes widen in shock at the name on the folder. She quickly opens the folder, and sighs in relief.

"That's a heart quickener," she says. Her face changes, her eyes becoming full of realisation. She chuckles faintly, looking at the file.

"I'm clever... because we'd be running out of time about now. But I sped up the possibilities. Fenes'tol. Why that word, though?" she says in a whisper, her mind racing. Before I can ask what is happening, she hands me the folder. I feel my eyes widen as I register the name on the front.

"Oh. Thank you for explaining." I look up at Jack, and hand him the file. He sputters, wide-eyed at the name. He looks at Inspector Bennett.

"Have any of the other women been murdered have the name of Sarah Connor?" Inspector Bennett is now getting impatient.

"What manner of question is this? I think that we should check the-"

"There's no time. This victim isn't the work of the Ripper. Based on the initial information, it would seem someone is copying the modus operandi, to disguise their objective. We are dealing with two madmen. One is Jack the Ripper. The other is someone whom War Office has been looking for on British soil for a time now. He is utterly dangerous and deranged. And he will not stop until all women with the name of Sarah Connor. A former Russian agent who has strong delusions. The only name we have on record is his codename: Cromartie."


	14. The Game's Afoot

**The Game's Afoot**

I stare at Jane, barely able to hide my shock. It cannot be Cromartie. He's in two thousand and seven, hunting down John with the face of George Lazlo, a struggling actor who was killed by Cromartie, so his face could be copied, and his life used to as a disguise. I think I feel guilt. Have I ever done that? Whose face have I stolen? Did I kill them? Did I enjoy it?

"Cromartie? What manner of nonsense is this?"

"Inspector, this man is mad. Quite, quite mad. He has ended up with this delusion of men who are machines underneath their skin. And they come from the future. In that future is this master machine, with a mind of its own. A mind that is bent on destroying all mankind."

"That is preposterous, Miss Marple! It's utter nonsense!"

"I quite agree. But the Russians were experimenting... trying to create a better soldier and spy. They managed to use drugs and tonics to enhance speed and strength. But it has caused a dementia that presents itself in a most violent delusion. He believes that the way to rid the world – and himself – of these mechanical monsters is to kill a single woman. However, these delusions persist, regardless of how many women with the name of Sarah Conner."

"This is madness!" Jane nods, and smiles sadly.

"I quite agree. So would three Sarah Connors in Manchester, two in Liverpool, not to mention those American citizens who died... American ladies who had a common misfortune. The all shared the name of Sarah Connor." Inspector Bennett seems quite disturbed by this.

"Then why have we not been informed?"

"Because we have to have this kept _quiet_. We are in secret negotiations with the Russians, to try and forge an alliance with them. Because the German threat is huge," Jack says with this wonderful tone of voice. It shows authority and desperate urgency at the same time. I suddenly feel confident enough to assist in the deception.

"Germany has grown in power. If it has the right allies, it is quite likely that it could wage war without provocation. The Franco-Prussia War is a suitable example," I say, hoping I've not messed up. I probably have. I'm glad Derek isn't here. He'd be most disapproving of my efforts, I'm sure of it. Jane is walking back to us. She seems pleased by my performance.

"What we need is a list of all the victims of Jack the Ripper. It may well be Cromartie's work. We can't take that chance right now." Jack looks at the officers. "Let's get to action people! We have a public to save!" This gets the constables and detectives into action.

"Fenes'tol... What connection is there?" Jane whispers, staring at the floor. She looks up at me and Jack. She looks at me, her face flashing realisation.

"It means _prostitute_! You're right Cameron!" She passionately whispers. I look at her, feeling confused.

"I have never heard that word before, though," I inform her. She looks at me, as if I have gone mad, then looks to the right, her head tilting forwards something. She's thinking. She looks at me a gain, eyes filled with understanding.

"You're right. Because I went back. So this is the first time you've heard the word, and explains how you could know a word in a language only four people know." Jane takes a step back, looking at me in shocked horror.

"_You_ only knew because _I_ just told you... Paradox." Her eyes are getting tearful. She quickly takes the file from Jack, and turns from us. Jack is looking at her as I scan her vitals. I don't understand her body properly, but if it was human, I would assess it as distressed. Jack walks behind her.

"What's the matter?" he asks in a low tone. I tilt my head to look at her face, hoping to catch her in the eye. Oh. She's crying. She hastily wipes them away.

"Look, we have to act fast. No time to dwell on such boring things like fate..." she looks at us both, her eyes slightly puffy, but serious.

"We have little time. Long story short, the woman we are after is eighteen years old. In theory. She could have lied about her age. But, one thing that's just come to me is that she's a prostitute." Jack look as as confused as I am.

"How do you know?" He asks.

"How is this a paradox?" I ask, wanting my answer first. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jack show realisation on his face.

"Ah. Gotcha."

"In short, we have very little time." Jack nods.

"Yeah. There's a lot of prostitutes in this time period. Over twelve hundred. And at least sixty brothels." Jack sighs. "It's impossible. We need more resources." I look to the floor, frown in thought, then look up at them.

"We need some luck," I say, trying to think of a way to get that luck. I don't know how to. A young constable is approaching us, tall and skinny, sandy blonde hair, with small, rounded wire framed glasses, his arms laden with a large stack of papers. He looks at us nervously.

"Ma'ams, Captain... I wouldn't normally intrude on the times of people of importance, especially at times like these, but..." he glances nervously behind him, at the other officers, and Inspector Bennett. "Whilst it is something that my colleagues have told me is beneath me, I have been attempting to keep a register of the local women whose profession is that of prostitution. I recall there a name of Sarah Connor, a young lady, but I cannot remember where amongst my files the information is, and I do rather suspect that my old files have been mixed in. They feel it a rather amusing prank," he says. He has a gentle nature to him. You can tell. I like him. I cannot help but like him. The constables are sniggering. I don't understand the source of their amusement.

"Constable Hallett, I do rather think that the War Office has greater concerns than the number of... _unfortunate_ women there are in the locality," Inspector Bennett says with a sarcastically weary tone. Jane just tilts her body, so she can peer around Constable Hallett.

"Unfortunate women? _I'm_ an unfortunate woman. I was once a wife and a mother, and now, by cruel twist of fate, I'm neither. If it were not for the fact I am an ambassador's daughter, and have a number of skills useful in defending Her Majesty's realm, I would no doubt be on the street, forced to perform carnal transactions in order to survive from day to day." She walks up to Inspector Bennett, and starts gyrating her body into his. He is too stunned to to anything. She calmly stops, and goes to Captain Jack, and does the same, though Jack is enjoying it. I can tell by the increased heart-rate, and increase of endorphines. He is creating a good illusion of indifference, though... I stay still, not blinking, not moving at all. Because I feel that anger. I know now. I want her to spend attention on me. Not him. But I don't know what that means, though.

She then dances towards the Inspector, spinning efficiently, her whole body in perfect control. She manages to gyrate again, her co-ordination unaffected by the spinning. Inspector Bennett pushes her away.

"What are you playing at? If you wish to be a harlot, go to the streets!" he bellows. Jane just dances back to Jack, and gyrates again, moving around his body this time. I tilt my head slightly, trying to work out why she is doing all of this. I know her. She has a plan. This isn't simply seduction. With a satisfied smile, she walks away from Jack, and walks to one side, away from both men. She leans against one of the solid oak desks.

"Gentlemen, what is the time?" she asks innocently. Both get out their watches, Inspector Bennett reluctantly. Jack seems startled, but then laughs. The Inspector is red with rage.

"Well, Inspector, your taste in watches is kinda, well... cheap. Boy is this shoddy workmanship..." Jack lets out a small whistle. "I'd like _my_ watch back. Having it swapped with this feels like daylight robbery." The Inspector slams Jack's watch into his hand, and the Captain politely returns it.

"It seems that a mere woman has eluded this station's brightest... how _could_ a member of the weaker sex fool a _man_?" she chides. Inspector Bennett is clearly filled with volcanic rage. Jane just goes to the pile Constable Hallett is holding, and takes half, which she promptly gives to me.

"Agent Scully, if you could sort through this half, I shall process the remaining half." I just nod, and look for somewhere to put the papers down to look through them. Jane is doing the same. Oh. She's kneeling on the floor, putting them down, and sifting through them whilst hunched down on the floor. I do the same. I scan through as fast as I can, turning page after page in seconds. She's doing it as well. She doesn't seem as fast as me, but she is quick, nonetheless. I look at her, and I feel something in my food processors. Oh. It is a sensation that reminds me of butterflies flapping their wings. I've been getting this feeling all day when I look at Jane, but it's only now I've properly noticed it. Wait. Yes, I have a name.

"I have a Sarah Connor," I say neutrally. I hand the page to Constable Hallett. He glances at it, and shakes his head.

"It's an old record, I'm afraid." I nod, and keep on looking. Jane makes a small grunting noise.

"Here's another Connor entry," she says. She's unaware of the constables just watching her and me, discomforted by the speed of our searching. Constable Hallett has just shaken his head at that as well.

"Aren't you going to assist them?" Inspector Bennett says pointedly at Jack. I glance up at Jack, who is standing proud and confidently.

"They are the fastest readers. I'd just slow the search down." Bennett snorts derisively at that.

"So you _are_ inferior? This is _men's_ work," he says nastily. Jane glances up, looking worried. She squints her eyes, and is clearly feeling frustrated by something. She silently hands another paper to Constable Hallett. He looks at it, and nods at her. She quickly takes it back, and puts it in the pile again. She steps on her toes and whispers something in his ears, something that makes his eyes widen, and a shocked look of hope glimmer on his face.

"You know, I was once assigned this team, and there was this lovely Japanese lady called Toshiko. She was a _genius._ She could build things from scratch. She was smart and capable. And she was shot in the stomach. She bled to death whilst saving a city full of people. She never cried, never showed she was scared. What I'm saying is that I like to work with the best. Man or woman, I don't care. What I care about is getting the job _done_," Jack says. No-one has noticed Jane talking to Constable Hallett. She steps away, and he looks at her, and solemnly nods. She holds his hands, and looks away, picking the papers off the floor.

"Thank you Minister for you assistance."

"But I am not a Minister," he says. She just gives him a small smile.

"All in good time... Don't let that register of yours get dusty or neglected. Trust me on that," she says, as is trying to give him confidence and hope. She picks up her cane, which she had leaning against a chair, and heads for the door.

"Captain Mulder, Agent Scully, we need to go. The game is afoot!" she says with energy. She pauses at the door, and looks at Inspector Bennett.

"Word of advice, Inspector; Queen Victoria doesn't like patronising men," she says before darting out.

"What is she prattling on about?" he growls. Jack just looks at him harshly.

"The monarch of this country is doing a pretty good job... and she's a woman." Inspector Bennett is looking a little uncomfortable as we leave. We run to catch up with Jane, who has just left the station. As we get through the main doors, I see her talking with a familiar man with a cowboy hat and leather coat on.

"Yep, that's perfect. Always read the papers thoroughly. Because you never know what you'll find hidden away." she looks at me and Jack. "Great. Come on, we have a woman to save!" She jumps in the carriage, and Derek, whilst confused, gets in as well. Jack lets me go in ahead of him. I sit down next to Jane. Oh. She looks very weak and tired, slumped in the corner of the carriage.

"I'm glad we didn't have to stay there much longer... I couldn't have gotten them to keep trusting me and Cam for much longer."

"All I can say is: _Fox Mulder_? Is it because of my good looks, or my great personality?" he jokes. I just look at him. Derek is laughing.

"Who is Dana Scully?" I ask. Derek laughs harder. Jack just nudges him slightly.

"And she addressed herself as Agatha Marple," he says, pointing at Jane. Jane weakly smiles. Derek is creasing over now. I'm just confused.

"Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are from a television program called the _X-Files_. Agatha Christie wrote about a little old lady detective called Miss Marple." Jane elaborates.

"Oh. Thank you for explaining."

"Seriously, though, you seemed rather interested in that Constable who was helping us," Jack says. Jane smiles.

"That man is Andrew Hallett. Becomes a Member of Parliament, and fights for women's rights. Works at undoing the double standards around issues like prostitution. Because of him, Britain will adopt a different attitude to prostitution, legalising brothels, and making it a taxable income. That in turn opens the door for regular health checks and screening. Which helps to better protect women."

"But that never happens."

"Not in _our_ universes Jack. But this universe is _different_. I think what makes a huge difference is the scale of the Ripper murders. I think it's what pushed a progressive minded constable to create a record of where the prostitutes were living, which leads to other things. And that's so _brilliant_. Because those women didn't die in vain." I hold her arm as she struggles to move.

"Before you lot ask, I used a lot of energy to case a Fae spell over those men, to get them to trust me and Cams. But I'm no where near full strength, and I'm still poisoned. So, I couldn't do it over so many people for too long."

"So, where are we heading?" Derek asks, looking at us all with a darting of his eyes.

"To save a Sarah Connor. It seems there is a Metal hunting for those named Sarah Connor." I look at Jane. "I do not believe it could be Cromartie. He lacks the technology to travel through time readily. And it contradicts his primary mission." Jack looks about for an explanation.

"Cromartie is the name for a particular Terminator out there to kill John. Sarah, Cameron and John Managed to damage him a fair bit, even managed to get it to lose its flesh."

"He killed a guy and took his identity and face. I managed to get him to miss John at school," I say, adding to Derek's explanation. Derek looks at me, furious.

"He was at your _school_? You two should have said something!"

"Not now," Jane says weakly. "We needed a reason to dig about to find other Sarah Connors. Using Cromartie and Skynet seemed a good way in. _And_ it helps to raise awareness of Skynet. If lots of people gain knowledge of it, maybe we can avert it."

"Right. So, we get to this Sarah Connor, and _then_ what?" I have to agree with Jack. We don't seem to have much of a plan. Derek moves in closer.

"How will we know we have the right one?" Derek asks, his eyes expressive, his brow furrowed from his raised eyebrows.

"We will," Jane says with a finality. She lifts herself up, gearing up energy. She looks at us all with certainty.

"We will get this woman to safety, and we will stop this metal assassin, and get things sorted out. Because the future depends on us. We can't fail, we _won't_ fail." Jane's words... they are so final. I just cannot argue or doubt it. I feel the carriage slow down. Oh. Outside. It's grown dark. I get out my Sonic Screwdriver.

"How did the driver know where to take us?" Jack asks.

"I told him where to go. Memorised the address." She's gotten some money out, and is ready to get out, her other hand gripping her cane tightly, her knuckles going white. She seems scared. I look at the others. It makes me think of poems I've read about the First World War, when soldiers were waiting to go over the trenches. I feel nervous. I don't understand it. I can take on Metal. I've done it before. But this time... I don't know. It feels different somehow, like one of us won't get back to two thousand and seven.

The carriage stops, and I see Jane fling herself out, landing on both feet unsteadily. She slams the money next to the driver, and barrels towards the house. Brothel. We are entering a brothel. I grip my Sonic tighter. I don't know how it can possibly be useful, but I want it in my hand. I rush out after Jane, with Jack and Derek close behind me. Jane has opened the door, and has barged in, looking for someone to speak to. I stop at the door, poised to move to where I need to go. An older woman has appeared, a frown on her face. Jane just waves out her fake ID.

"War Office! Which room is Sarah Connor? NOW!" the woman points up the stairs.

"First floor, third door on the left," she says, shaken and frightened. I run up the stairs, not needing or waiting for orders. I hear Jane's footsteps behind me. I hear other footsteps. Jack and Derek are behind us. I can hear a door slamming shut upstairs. I get to the top of the stairs, taking a nanosecond to turn. I run down the hallway, trying not to think about what I'm about to face. I hear the door lock as soon as I get to it. There's no time to break it down. I get the Sonic Screwdriver to the lock, and use it. Jane is right behind me, and from the corner of my eye, I see she has her Kissie out. I hear shouting inside the room. Jane has this look on face, as if she's about to face death. I get the door unlocked and opened as soon as I hear gunshots. My mouth opens wide.

Oh no...

We're too late.

We failed.

We... We _failed_.

Jane barges past me, flinging the door wide open. I survey the scene. There is someone frightened on the bed. Oh... she looks so much like Sarah. Mom Sarah. There is a man splayed out on the bed, blood bubbling from his mouth. His eyes are wide, unseeing the realm of life, but gazing at the land beyond, at afterlife's vale. I see a woman with light brown hair and a freckled forehead has a revolver raised up at Sarah, and is about to fire.

And we won't get to her in time.

Jane activates her Kissie, the end extending out in a spring action style, a deep strong purple light bathing the gun and the whole arm. The Metal's finger pulls the trigger, just as Jack and Derek arrive.

Nothing happens.

It tries again and again, but the gun isn't working. Jane is laughing maniacally.

"Enhanced and upgraded Kissie: Now with gun jamming capabilities," she says, breathless with pleasure. I think there's a hint of madness in her voice. The Metal is staring at her, unable to work out what is happening. I charge at the assassin, my body shuddering with the impact of the dense metal form. I ignore the pain my flesh screams out as I slam the unworthy creature into the wall, the bricks shifting and grating in protest. Jane smashes the end of her cane into the machine's foul head, the object splintering apart from the force. I know what hate is. And seeing what I was... I slam it again and again into the wall. It keeps breaking my hold, and I hear Jane screaming at the men to get Sarah out.

Blow after blow, slammed wall after slammed wall. Jane is on the thing's back, making its arms strain backwards. I can hear the servos groan and creak with the strain. With a twist, I throw my back into it's torso, the force hammering all of us into a wall again. Jane cries out in pain as something cracks with a sick, wet noise. She coughs, blood spitting out. I see her weakening strength, the arms now starting to break free. I punch away at this things chest and its grinding into the wall, and I can hear Jane's body break some more. She just grunts at this, as if focussing everything on this battle. Its like she's surrendering everything for this one moment, as though it is more important than any other before it. The assassin breaks free of her grip, as she slides to the ground.

It's up to me to finish this.

With a rage I have never known, I grip hard this insult to all I hold dear, and with a scream I throw us out of the nearby window. This is for the ones I call friends. This is for the the one I call uncle. This is for the one I call brother. This is for the one I call mother. As out bodies hit the building opposite and fall so gracelessly to the floor, I realise something.

This is for myself.

I keep it pinned to the ground, ignoring the hair that's gotten loose from the herring-bone plait Jane did for my hair before we left the Cathedral. I ignore the bruising and cut flesh, the pain that comes from it. I stare at it, unblinking. I hear a thud behind me. I turn to see if it is another enemy. Oh. It's Jane. She's managed to jump down, and badly land on her feet. The assassin has managed to throw me off, and is scanning me. I think it is the same model I was. Oh. It has taken a step back. It doesn't know what I am. Jane is throwing something above her head. I don't go to look, though, because I don't want _it_ to see. It starts to run away, when it falls to the ground. Oh. Something has wrapped itself around its legs. It is trying to free them, but Jane is moving, faster than a human, at speeds that would be difficult for a Terminator to compete with. In a blur of motion, she has managed in a single move to handcuff its wrists together, and put arm binders together. She then quickly gags it, and with a fluid motion puts a bag on the things head. She looks at me and grins lopsidedly, blood gushing out from a gaping gash above her right eye.

"Pockets that are bigger on the inside... always useful," she slurs before trying to stand up. I hear footsteps. Oh. It's Captain Jack. I hear a thudding sound. It's Jane. She's on the floor, and not moving.


	15. Starting The Duat Journey

**Starting The Duat Journey**

I rush to Jane, feeling panic grow inside me. Even before I get to her, I'm checking her vital signs. Oh. She's alive, but the right side has been badly crushed. How can she be alive? This amount of injury would have killed a human. As it is, only one heart is working. Her bio-readings are erratic. I remember now. It happened during the fight. It's my fault. I slammed all of us into the wall. The sheer mass would be enough to hurt her. I got angry, and just attacked. I didn't think. I just went and attacked, and didn't think of the consequences. I feel awful. Really awful. She groans and stirs as Jack gets to us.

"Is she alive?" he pants out. I give him a quick and silent nod. Right now, I'm more concerned with Jane, and her well-being. One thing I know is that she is special. Special to me. Like John, Derek and Mom. I look at her, then the Terminator that is now immobilised. I can hear the servos creak with with trying to break free.

"Made them especial five years ago. Just in case a situation like this was needed..." Jane says weakly. She starts to get back up, clawing at the wall to help her get up. She silently grimaces as she staggers up.

"Right. Cams, Captain, we need to go. Because we'll have found ourselves a hell of a lot of attention. Jack, help me. Cameron, carry that... _hopefully_ fully contained... prisoner." I hoist it up onto my shoulder effortlessly. Jane puts her hand on the abomination, then lurches to Jack.

"Come _on_," she grunts as grips Jack. We run as fast as we can, Jane clearly ignoring what has to be agony for her. I feel for her. I feel a lot of something. I'm guessing it's guilt. I don't know. I certainly feel confusion. Run. We are running. Just run. Focus on the escape. That seems logical. Just focus on the task at hand.

Is this what humans do? Have distracting thoughts at the least appropriate times? I have identified and catalogued a large list of flaws and weaknesses, both actual and theoretical. And yet, they managed to destroy Skynet. They captured the unworthy metal monsters, and made them help in the liberation of Earth. They created nuclear weapons. They created the Final Solution. Human beings are both inspiring and terrifying. Sometimes at the same time.

Oh. What if the Metal Scum, those minions that the Great Demon Skynet created and sent to wipe out mankind, are not lesser demons, but the reflection in the mirror for the very worst parts of human nature? What if it was all poured into them? What is human nature? Is human nature a thing only humans have, or is it something that can be learnt, taught? Am I capable of human nature? If I am, then what darkness could lie inside me? Does it already? I keep on running, wondering why people aren't really noticing us. I glance at Jane, who still has her glasses on, even though they are smashed, battered and tilting. If I come from demons, then does she come from angels? Angel. I like that idea, her being an angel.

We run down a couple more streets, curious as to how we even know where we are going. I keep following, not wanting to let them down. I messed up. And I want to make it better. Somehow.

We slow down, and Jane is putting her hand up. After a moment, she manages to flag down a carriage. I let her get on board first, before getting in myself, laying the prisoner on the seat opposite. Jack is in next, after giving instructions. We all sit in silence as it starts to get going.

"Cameron, we are all eager to give Skynet a crushing defeat. Please don't have us experience that as well," she says in an irritated tone. Jane is just staring out of the carriage. She starts coughing, and I can smell the blood in the mucus. I pull her closer to me, and start rubbing her back.

"What gets me is the fact that we all were running, and no-one was paying attention. Like there was some kind of perception filter." Jack's right. We should have been noticed easily. Jane just smiles.

"There was. I used the last of my reserves to create basic cloaks around us. Cameras, CCTV and the like would have spotted it, but since that lot isn't a problem, it's all we needed. And before anyone asks, we _had _ to take the machine with us, because we can't risk polluting the time-line."

"You're always thinking and scheming."

"Thank you Captain. It's what's kept me alive. Kindred politics is backstabbing and self-serving. Interacting in a society of solitary predators. Definitely keeps you on your toes."

"Sounds like you've got some experience."

"I do. I became a councillor in my city. More an observer seat, but I used it to raise issues surrounding the Mud-Bloods, as the Krullsh loves to call them."

"What are Mud-Bloods and Krullsh?" I ask. Jane grimaces.

"_I'm_ one. It's a rude term of those with no lineage. No bloodline or identifier. I escaped being marginalised because of my Sire being one of the most renowned Kindred ever. He never said what bloodline he was from, though, so it's all unknown for me. So I'm in a rather interesting situation back home."

"Who was your Sire?" Jack has a good point. Jane gives a small smile.

"My father." She pauses, watching our reaction.

"What you need to understand is that it wasn't an Embrace. The truth is that he was desperately trying to keep me alive. He was trying to stabilise my genetic make-up. So, technically, I'm a Dhampir, though the Kindred part was ramped right up, to the point where my body was in a sort of suspended animation. Took a while to learn _that_ out..." She stops to cough violently again. She stretches, and I hear bones popping and cracking. She gasps out in pain. She smiles at us.

"That's better... Since we've got a moment of regrouping, I'm focussing and forcing my healing. That Kindred part _does_ have uses..." She says, sounding stronger. Maybe now I can have answers for questions that I have inside me.

"How did you managed to disable the gun?" I ask. Jack nods in agreement.

"It reminds me of what the Sontarans used against us. They had some kind of cordolane signal to make the bullets expand and jam," he says. Jane smiles.

"Different approach, but same idea. So, we won't have anything against any sort of laser weaponry." There's a twinkle in her eyes. "But I'm working on that."

"Sounds like you're enjoying this fight," Jack observes.

"To a point. I'm working to protect someone who is essential, armed with advanced technology that nether side can have, with an enemy that is persistent and forever learning. And there isn't the people to help out, and ease the burden. But, one mistake, and the whole of human history is forever changed, not to mention billions of lives hanging in the balance."

"What will we do with the trapped Metal?" I think we need to work out this issue. Jane just stares at the trapped form, still straining to escape.

"Put it in a holding cell."

"But there isn't one."

"I created one."

"What guarantees do you have it won't get out?" Jack has a good point. I'm studying our captive closely, to see if I can better work out ways of destroying those... lesser demons.

"Well, I had a lock that has Isomorphic controls. Set to me. So, I'm the key to unlock the prison. Not to mention a Pentruple Deadlock Seal. Which means that not even multiple Sonic Screwdrivers working on it at the same time will open it. I think that should work..." Jack is smiling.

"You've been planning ahead... I have to say, I'm _impressed_."

"I'm leading the war on a separate front. I have to think of as many possibilities as possible. It's something I learnt back home."

"Sounds like your home is rough." Jane snorts

"Makes sandpaper seem like silk," she says with a snort. She starts to crink her neck.

I hold her hand, staring at her. I hadn't realised that she had a life before all of this. That she had been taken and placed in this war. And what about Jack? And Derek? I know a little about Derek, because he was in the compound after I was reprogrammed. I remember the look on his face when I saved him from the rogue Terminator. I remember the first time meeting him, pulling a gun out on me, because he thought I would go and kill people. What happened in his life to make him so angry and hateful. I need to get to be alone with him, to talk to him, and to get to understand his past. Because the past shapes people; makes them who they are.

I think I get that now.


	16. Statements Of Truth

Hey, sorry it's been a while with updates, but I had a few upload issues. Anyway, how this is worth the wait!

**John: **Glad that I'm reliable to attempting to put things up :) The wholething with the names used comes from a film called Fletch. In it, you have this investigative reporter trying to work out a very serious mystery, but he does it with these wacky disguises (that work,) and with completely mental names (like Mr. Barbar, as in the elephant, John Cocoastan, and Harry S. Truman.) It also fits in with her sense of humour. Hope this hemps explain that a bit further. :)

**Statements of Truth**

I stare at Jane, wanting to see her snap her fingers to open the doors. I just find it an amazing thing, how it can happen for her. I tried it earlier, and it refused to do so. I don't get it. She's limping, but she has this little swagger, this swaying to her hips, and this slight swinging to her arms. Her right arm raises up, and with a snap to her fingers the doors to the Cathedral swing wide open, and she's just walking, not stopping, not slowing. She's just moving forward, supremely confident those doors will open for her.

And I find that amazing.

I'm walking forward, the extra weight not slowing me down. I'd have really wanted to help Jane as well, to support her when she was still deeply wounded. I didn't like Jack helping her like that. He's nice, a good man... but he registers as a threat. But not a tactical threat. I don't understand. But I do understand that I'm certainly not some machine, programmed to obey a set of instructions. I get that. I made a choice. To not kill John. To be at his side. When I think of myself, which wasn't so long ago, I seem so small, weak, blind. Young. I seem so much... _younger_. It's so strange. I look back at who and what I was, and I think of the blindness. It seemed nice, but now...

It's just hit me. What I've lost, and what I've gained. And I know that I'm better off now. Because I have some truths now.

I'm Cameron Phillips. I don't know how old I am, because my earliest memories are gone. I was different. I was a darker reflection of who I am now. I know inside me that I didn't just harm humans. I, in some way, _enjoyed_ harming others. I wanted to have peace on Earth. Peace through the eradication of all humans. And machines walking freely on the planet.

How sick and _wrong_ I was...

I don't know if I was unique _before_, but I am unique _now_. My flesh is a part of me. I like that. If I was stripped down, I'd now be Cameron Phillips any more. And I like being me. My flesh helps to make me unique. It allows me to feel, to interact with the world in ways unimaginable. I have emotions in ways and depths I didn't before. I don't really know what I feel, but I feel it. And I don't want to lose it.

I go through the entrance, and keep on walking, striding forward with mimicked confidence. I like the way Jane walks. I want some of that in my walk and attitude. I want to be someone people look to with amazement and awe, the way I do at Jane. And I want to have tattoos. I like the idea of tattoos on my body. I've been thinking about that rose on that woman in the bar. But the pictures have impressive. Daring. Bold. I've watched a lot of action movies, and I like how women in action movies where they save the world have this incredible energy and posture. I want to be an action hero. I want to be as amazing as those around me.

I'm kind of useless to the cause. I want to improve myself. And I will.

Jack has closed the doors, and I'm walking past Derek and Sarah, whose sitting at the flight console wide-eyed, shaking her head at the Cathedral. I stop, walk backwards without even a glance behind me to guide me, and stop beside them. I look at Sarah. I tilt my head, and give her a small smile.

"It's okay. You're safe. And this place is only bigger on the inside. That's all." She's looking like she's going to lose control, and go beserk. Jane is passing by, going to the main console.

"More like bloody enormous... over six years, and I've not fully explored the place. Tired doing that three years back. Ended up at the Cloisters a dozen times," she says casually. She's operating something. She starts waving a finger at me, not looking back for a second.

"Just dump the prisoner on the floor. I'm setting up a sublittic cronon field around it. In short, something to give us peace of mind. Not to mention stopping it from hearing anything too sensitive." I nod, and just let my arm go limp, the body rolls off my shoulder and it hits the floor with a loud thus that causes slight vibrations on the floor. I look at Sarah, and try to look reassuring.

"It's okay. You're safe with us." Jane is waving her finger again.

"You need to move to one side. I can't switch it on until you do."

"Oh." I take a large sidestep to the side. I watch the energy envelope the prisoner, and the patterns are so, so pretty. I love it. It's like art. Jane turns to look at us, her boots clacking on the marble flooring. She holds Sarah's hands, and there's this look to her, a caring, warm look. So tender, so gentle. Her fiancée was so, so _lucky_ to have had her. Am I allowed to be with someone? And if so, I want it to be someone like her. If I'm allowed, that is.

"What's going on? What is this place? It's huge... and it's inside this little blue box. And that woman who killed Jonathan... I saw metal. Little bits of her face was missing, and there was metal underneath. Like polished steel. And _her... _in front of us, she's got the same sort of injuries to her jaw." Jane just smiles a little.

"This is going to be hard for you, and I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry.

"You were the target for an assassin. From the future. The twenty first century. In that century, there's a terrible war. Mankind has created invention after invention, some good, some frankly brilliant and blow my mind away... but some are not so good. Machines for warfare. New ways to kill people.

" In the end, there was made this machine, called Skynet. In itself, something amazing. This machine mind that can think and reason like a human being, but things went horribly wrong. It, for reasons we don't know – may never know – it decided that human beings were a threat. And it launched weapons... wait." She goes to the main console, and pushes some buttons. The purple and blue marble suddenly is like a television screen, but the advanced technology is amazing... it's like being there. It's so _real..._

And what she shows us is an image of Earth from orbit as the missiles streak in through the atmosphere, and slam into the surface, the explosions disrupting the clouds and the dust, and then we are seeing cities, like we are flying in a helicopter, and they are obliterated in an eye-blink.

"I recorded all of this from here. I opened up the doors, and watched it all with my own eyes. It broke my hearts. It really did... Well, the survivors call this obscene and macabre event Judgement Day. Billions of lives ended on that day. And the were greeted by this."

I stare, wide-eyed as I see the earliest Terminators appear, then later and later models until they get to the triple eights I'm so familiar with. Derek is looking like he's in the middle of his greatest nightmare, and he can't get out. Jack is looking like he's at a school presentation, calmly watching, as if making a list of mental notes and thinking of questions to ask later. Sarah is just looking stunned.

"I don't know what is more unbelievable... what you are telling me, or this incredible technology... where there are moving colour pictures all around us. This technology is of the fantastic!" Jane smiles at Sarah.

"You have _no _idea... This technology is a merging of various elements, but _this_," she says sweeping a hand around the place, "Is pretty much the creation of one race of individuals. The Lords of Time," she says as she pushes a few other buttons, and the scene changes. Oh. I think the right word is wow. Wow. The world the Lords of Time lived on was beautiful. All around us is this burnt orange sky, above us and to the sides. Trees. The trees are moving, and the look like they are on fire. A forest moving like a sea of fire. And the grass is _red_. And there is this mighty city nestled between the feet of two mountains, a crystal dome enclosing it. The light is reflecting off it from the two suns that are in the sky.

And there is a part of me that is calling it home.

But this is nothing like anything I've seen before. Oh. I've just had a thought. I have unknown DNA inside me. Jane couldn't identify the source of the DNA, either. She said it had to be from the Lord of Time, the one who used to own the Cathedral. I think I'm realising just how _different_ I am. I think I like it.

"So, if I wished to go to this other world, this home to these Lords of Time, how long would it take for us to arrive?"

"You can't," Jack says. I stare at him, my head tilting slightly.

"There was a war. A great and terrible war. They were the most mighty and ancient race in the universe. They had sworn never to interfere in the affairs of others. Only watch.

"But there was this race. There was this planet that had a war raging on it for a thousand years. And a brilliant but twisted scientist had taken his people's DNA, the very essence of life, and twisted it. Then put them in these armoured battle vehicles. He had removed all compassion, mercy, pity. They were created to hate anything that wasn't of their kind. And they got out of control. And they destroyed their creators, and any other life they could find. They went through space, killing and destroying. It got so bad that the Lords of Time had to get involved. They engaged this race, for the sake of all creation. They lost. Everyone lost. It's all gone. That city, those mountains... even that sky."

"But we can still go. The Cathedral can travel to a point in time when it was still around-" Jack is shaking his head.

"You can't. They had a Time War. When it finished, a Time Lock formed around the events. Nothing can get through it." Jane is looking sadly at me.

"These images are all that we have of that world. If I could go there, I would have by now. But I _can't_. It's impossible. And there's nothing that can be done about it."

"So, these monsters won? They are out there?" Jane walks away, and picks up something. Oh. It's the dome. She hands it to Sarah.

"There are a number in a dimensional prison. A Prison outside of space and time. One tried to escape, and was stopped." Derek is looking at Jane, a serious look on his face.

"That's why you were so scared. Because you knew what was on the other side. And those things," he says pointing a finger at the dome, "Remind me of _them_," he finishes off by pointing to the imprisoned machine. Jane nods sadly.

"There are big similarities... But, we are way off-topic. The reason they want you dead is because you have a descendant, man who rises up and fights these machines. They tried to kill his mother, your great, great, great granddaughter, and failed. They tried again when he was ten- "

"Thirteen," Derek corrects. Jane looks at him, annoyed.

"Ten. The date for the attack shifted. Key events are becoming unstuck in time. All because everyone is fighting a Time War, and not understanding how to do it properly. Because you all, human and machine, don't understand time." I don't agree. I understand time travel. I read basic elements of it on-line.

"I understand time," I say in a flat, simple tone, correcting her mistake. She stops walking back tot he console, turns on her heels, and shakes her head with this small smile.

"No, you _don't. P_eople don't understand time. It's not what they think it is." I frown in annoyance.

"Then what is it," I ask, hurt at her reply. She makes this face as if she's been caught in a trap. Her eyes widen slightly.

"_Complicated_." she gets back to the main console, and starts to rest against it.

"How complicated?"

"_Very_ complicated."

I get up, and walk in front of her. I stare her straight in the eye.

"Tell me. I want to know." She walks away, running her hands over her half-plaited hair, then turns to face me. She looks like she's trying to put it all into words.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause and effect." Her hands are chopping the air, as if to make a point. "_But_, actually, if you look at it from a non subjective, non-linear viewpoint, it's more like a ball of..." her eyes are starting to widen. "wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey..." her face is contorted with this bewildered and worried expression. "...stuff." She looks frustrated. Jack is chuckling.

"That sentence got away from you, didn't it?" he says in this low, amused tone. Jane starts reluctantly to nod.

"Yeah, it did." She frowns. "Okay, it's like water and ice. Water and ice are the same thing, but in different states. Some events are like water; they are fluid, can be changed over and over again. Other events, though, are like ice. They can't be changed. They have to be. The problem is that every time you lot sent people through time, you make things more and more like ice. It'll get to the point when all of time in this universe will be like ice. And further changes makes the ice thinner. Until the whole lot cracks."

"End of the universe," I say. I swallow hard. This is quite worrying. She claps her hands, making us all jump.

"I know all of this is serious, and important... but I'm hungry. Anyone wanting ham and chips?"

---------------

Liked it? Hated it? Please review: it tells me what you think.


	17. The Music Of The Soul

**The Music Of The Soul**

I test the bindings. Yes, they are solid.

I wish they were _my_ ballet shoes, but I'm glad to be practising again. After the chaos of the past few days, it's good to be doing this.

I activate the sound system to the music that Jane had listened to in the kitchen playing in the air. Apparently they are a band called Evanescence. They never formed in this universe, apparently. Which is a shame, because I have listened to their albums the over the past couple of days. I let myself get into the music, letting the music flow into me, and through me. It's something Jane said when I caught her practising gymnastics the other day. I was there, watching, along with Jack, Derek and Sarah watching her without her realising we had grouped together. It was a combination of dance, fight and flight, a series of movements perfectly timed, and beautiful to watch.

I had to ask her afterwards why she practised. Why she practices all of her marital arts and her gymnastics, when she has clearly mastered them. She just smiles and said that you know you've gained mastery of something when you realise just how little you know or understand of what you do. Which is why I'm working harder, because I want to know how little I understand of Ballet. I pirouette, letting myself feel the movement of the gravity play on my body. I arch my body, and just let the music be with me, to be _me_. This is something Jack suggested, and it is very difficult. I can't visualise all of this. But I'm willing to try.

One thing I've started to do is personalise the space I have in the Cathedral. Jack did it with a couple of posters dating to the Second World War, along with a couple of replicas of sculptures from alien worlds he's visited. Derek went for pictures of countrysides and trees, because he feels they are something he treasures. Sarah has the stuff Jane managed to retrieve from the brothel. She had gone back to make sure the investigation wouldn't point to us. She managed to get them to not realise that there is a connection with the brothel fight and the murdered Sarah Connor. I've never been inside Jane's room, but I know where it is, because she regularly burns incense. Particularly Dragon's Blood. Which is confusing, because I thought Dragons were fictional.

I took time to work out what I wanted. I made the walls seem like black granite and marble, with ornate carvings and Gothic arches for the doorways. I also went for a four poster bed, with crimson silk draping down and between the posts. I use candles as the main source of illumination, except when one of the others is visiting. Sarah has visited several times, to look at the design of the room, and to ask me questions. Jane said I should be honest as best I can. So, I explained to her me being a Tin Miss, how I was originally a lesser demon, and that I was reprogrammed and sent back in time to protect John. How we moved forward in time, to fight and stop Skynet from being created. She confuses me. She's nothing like Mom.

Mom Sarah is very hard, practical. This Sarah is a dreamer. She imagines other worlds, and possibilities. The longer she's with us, the more it comes out. She's scared of the future, and of Skynet, but is excited by the possibilities that abound. Jane has been very honest, telling her about inventions and technological advances that happen over the next century or so. It's like she _wants_ Sarah to know all of this, as if it's part of a plan. She keeps on telling her of things that have happened to her, places she's been. Sarah has been taking notes. Derek is worried about this, but from the first night they met, they've been together a lot. They also are sleeping together. I'm worried about the possible damage to the future, but Jane isn't worried. She's gently pushing for it to continue for as long as possible. Jack is silent on this. I don't understand why, though; he has travelled through time, she should know the possible dangers. But he trusts Jane, because she's part Lord of Time. As if her judgement is sound because of it. Although she's been drinking a lot. It's because of what Jake did, making her remember her dead fiancée. It's like a door's been open that can't be closed. I feel bad, because I want to help her close it again.

I keep on moving, trying to be a cat whilst I move. I've watched cats move, trying to understand them. I don't have it still. I can dance, but I can't get the moves perfect. Maybe I don't have a soul? This _is_, after all, the music of the soul.

"You need more soul in your routine."

I spin around, and see Jane, wearing black leather trousers and ankle boots, a crimson and deep purple corset tightly squeezing her body, sharply increasing her curves. Her breasts are pushed upwards, pressed into place by the clothing. Her face is porcelain white, with black, purple and crimson designs for the lips and eyes, the cheeks with a reddish blusher, and purple and bright red streaks in her hair. Since we've been staying inside the Cathedral, Jane has been dressing like this, as if she's a Gothic Doll. Her tattoos are visible again, the symbols and designs snaking along her arms and shoulders. I think they cover almost all her body.

"This is my personal space." I try to convey my annoyance at this encroachment. The smaller girl shrugs.

"You asked for ballet shoes. I was curious about why." She gives me a small, puzzled smile. "I didn't know you practised ballet. I mean, I know you took a couple of classes to get close to the Shipkovs, but I had no-"

"You know about that?"

"Yeah. We've been following the same leads. I couldn't team up with you, because you didn't know me back then. And Maria is _very_ angry with you, by the way. Took a _lot_ of explaining that you'd become very different." I feel stabbings from daggers of guilt pierce my body.

"They're dead." Jane smiles slightly

"No they're not."

"But I walked away. I didn't protect her or her brother. Those men shot them." Jan looks to the floor, her face screwing up in guilt.

"No. I followed you. I used a Fae glamour to be invisible. I was in the room when you got what you wanted. I watched you leave. Those men didn't stand a chance. I've gotten _very_ good with guns. I've had to, to survive." She frowns in pain.

"I knocked out the Shipkovs. Told them that they were safe, I'd get them to safety. I needed as much information about the buyer as possible. What they were like. And then I left them too, after giving them new IDs, and a chance of a new life." I feel a glimmer of happiness.

"They're not dead?"

"No. But those heavies are. Didn't find out anything about them. Didn't want any wives or children haunting my dreams. I've got enough ghosts, thank you."

"You killed them?" She looks me dead in the eye.

"Cold bloodedly. No hesitation. Cams, I'm from a world where there are predators that can kill you. I've learnt to be an efficient killer to survive." She closes her eyes.

"Terminators have it easy. To kill and not care... I remember every face of those I kill. In my nightmares."

"Oh." I pause. "If it helps, I feel bad about people I've allowed to die. Like Jordan." Her face screws up in anger. I've never seen her frown so much. It's unsettling.

"You also prevented John from trying to save her. You dragged him away once her body was broken and bleeding on the floor. Not to mention you were apparently in the toilet with her before she decided to jump. Is it true?" She turns away from me, clearly deeply upset.

"Yes. I didn't understand there was a problem." I take a step towards her. "I tried to give her a tight present." Jane takes a step away from me.

"What was the present?" she asks warily. I suddenly wish I never mentioned Jordan's name. Because I realise now that it was a deep mistake to do so.

"It was some eye shadow." Jane's eyes snap open and stare at me, wide with barely suppressed fury. And they are so bright... it's like staring into green fire. Her body is shuddering and shaking. I now understand volcanic tempers. Because her response reminds me of one. I shrink away from the smaller girl.

"When I first arrived, I was in a small town. I wasn't really interacting, and it was quite simple. It was easy to integrate." My eyes look down to the floor. "I felt lost when we jumped to 2007. It had changed so much, and city life is more complicated. Much more complicated. Also, the time jump had affected my Neural Net." Jane just crumples to the floor, and starts crying. She pulls out from a back pocket a small hip flask. She takes a healthy swig of it, and again. It must be nearly empty. But she's taking another swig. Oh. Of course. It's bigger on the inside.

"You know, I quit smoking, weed, the lot. But I have too much of a taste for Absinthe. Since having two hearts, and having a pulse again, I've been drawn back to my old habits. Daniel got me drunk one night, and got me to start smoking. And he nurtured the Absinthe addiction... My family, we have a weakness. We get addicted to things more easily." I sit on the floor next to her, and hug her. I can smell the Absinthe on her breath now, and it's not a smell I have encountered before.

"How did you know about me keeping John back?" I ask, desperate to stop her from feeling self pity.

"Two seconds."

"I don't understand."

"If I'd gotten there two seconds sooner, I'd have been able to save her." She looks at me, the tears distorting her eyes. They are like a prism, bending the light and changing it. Her make-up isn't running, though. I touch it carefully. I don't understand. It seems part of her face.

"I made it a part of my skin. I can do things like that with my Kindred side," she explains, her head swaying slightly.

"Damn... drunk too much..." she blinks away the tears, and focusses on me. "What were we talking about?"

"Two Seconds. Jordan."

"Oh. Yeah... I tripped on the stairs, didn't I? Show you what a stupid bitch I am... couldn't even save my best friend," she says remorsefully. I brush back a stray strand of her hair. She looks me in the eye as she sniffles.

"Why am I so pathetic?" She asks. I frown slightly at this.

"You're not pathetic," I tell her. It's true. She's amazing. She snorts at this.

"Yes I am... Mum was right."

"I don't understand."

"She was always telling me I was an idiot, that I wasn't doing well enough, and she was right. I should have been able to save Jordan... I couldn't even save Sarah without a paradox."

"I don't understand."

"Before this happened, I got information that didn't make sense. All of it, though, was to show how to do things. In time, I'd have managed to find Sarah, by crossing off all the possibilities. But, the Terminator came back, and disrupted the whole affair. She was meant to go to America with the man killed in her room. They had a son nine months from now."

"Who will eventually lead to John Connor," I say. Jane nods.

"He was killed before she could get pregnant. So, I've had to be creative. I've been dumping aphrodisiacs in hers and Derek's drinks." she looks away. "Shows you what a complete cow I am... I'm using him to get her pregnant."

"To save the future."

"But I'm still using him," she protests. I try to change the subject.

"Why did you want that group photo of us all? And why did we have to do it outside Southampton walls? With the parts of the enemies we kept back in the Void?" she gives me a small smile.

"It'll all make sense to you in time," she says. That's not an answer. It's a riddle. I don't like her reply.

"Look, everything is delicate right now. I can't say just yet, when I can, I will... okay?" I nod to that.

"You are not pathetic." I hold her more tightly to emphasise the fact. She brushes her cheek against mine. I think I understand what my ballet has been lacking.

Intimacy.


	18. The Oncoming Storm

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry it's taken this long to get this up, but I don't have home Internet, so I have to go to the public library. Also, my hours at work have changed, making it more difficult to get to the library. I also had to re-built the computer over the weekend, because of things going Titanically wrong.

Anyway, hope you all enjoy. Don't forget to comment!

**The Oncoming Storm**

I follow her down the corridor, wishing I could be next to her. For some reason, though, Jane seems to have some space. I don't understand what she means, though. But then, she's still quite drunk from the Absinthe she's been drinking. I can see that from the unsteadiness from her footsteps. I'm worried about her. She seems to be upset in some way by my desire to have intimacy with her. This needs further investigation.

She gets to the kitchen, and starts to heat up this large clay cooking pot that is on the stove. She spent last night preparing it. It smells nice, though. I hear some sniffling, and she reaches into her back pocket again, and drinks some more. I think she had drunk too much. I don't like this. I'm worried about her. I quietly walk up behind her, and wait until she put the flask back into her pocket, and then carefully lift it out again. I take a couple of steps back, sneak the flask into my pocket. She's starting to sway too much. I rush forward, just as she collapses on the floor. I hold her tightly in my arms, and she puts a hand on my shoulder and makes a strange groaning sound. She starts snuggling up to me, and starts to breath more heavily. Oh. What do I do now she's asleep?

"You two make such a lovely couple," says a familiar voice behind me. I look around, to see Jack in a navy blue shirt, black trousers and with braces. He has his familiar, friendly smile. I feel lost as to how to handle the situation. I look down at Jane's peaceful, sleeping face, and then back at Jack.

"She's drunk too much. I caught her when she passed out." Jack just gives a look of faked hurt.

"You two had a party without me? All that fun I missed..." I look at him, confused.

"There wasn't a party. She's been drinking for a while now. I don't think this is fun," I tell him. He looks at me, more serious now.

"Ignoring the fact you butchered the perfectly good humour in my words, what's wrong with her? 'Sides the whole blind drunk part."

"I don't know. She sees herself as pathetic." I hold her closer to me. "She isn't. I find her amazing." I look at him, eyes forcing their way out of me. "I wish to be more like her. More full of humanity. Although I don't know what that means for me. I'm not human." Jack walks beside me.

"Neither is she. She's a mixture of things, and they are certainly not human." Jack holds the back of my head, to give me reassurance. He sighs. "You know, I've been out there. Different planets, different species, and _one_ thing I've learnt is that every species has goodness inside them. They also have evil, but you find that the ideals, the concepts of good, and what it means, are pretty much the same." He gives me a reassuring smile.

"So it doesn't matter if I'm a Tin Miss?"

"Personally? Not in the slightest." He looks at the stove. "Now _some_thing smells like it needs stirring." He lifts the lid, and uses a wooden spoon to stir the food.

"I'll say this, she's a damn good cook." He looks at me and smiles. "You wanna know what she's been making for us? Chicken Korma. She spent hours last night making us, what seems to be, a mighty fine curry. I'll organise the rice." He gives me a small wink. "I think my cooking skills can stretch that far. And I know we have some wild rice- there." I stroke Jane's hair, watching her sleep.

"What gets me," Jack says as he gets the rice ready for cooking, "Is why she got drunk in the first place."

"I think it is all the secrets she's keeping. It seems she wants to tell us what is going on, but is scared of altering time. Like events are fixed, and shouldn't be changed."

"Perhaps they are. Remember, what we are in can travel through time. She's already mentioned that there is a paradox in play, so I think that whatever is happening, she's working on staying on top of it, to keep things working right. Gotta admit, though... the whole Gothic Doll style she's got going is impressive. Makes you wanna play Ken to her Barbie."

"She's not like that," I say defensively. He just chuckles. I hear footsteps in the corridor, walking this way. It has to be Derek and Sarah. I don't know what to do With Jane, though. Should I wake her, or put her on her bed? I decide to straighten her glasses. They are still the geeky style that she chose by accident. It looks strange, given the clothing and make-up she has. I hear some laughter, and some happy conversation, then an abrupt silence.

"What's happened?" Derek sounds alarmed as he rushes to help me.

"She's drunk. Passed out," I tell him. He cautiously sniffs her breath.

"Not any drink I've seen," he comments.

"It's Absinthe," Jack tells him. Derek looks up at Jack.

"Let me guess... it's some sort of alien drink?"

"No, you daft goose, it's from this planet. Can get it anywhere in Whitechapel. Never touched the stuff, though. If there's a Devil's Drink, it'd be that." I look at Sarah, confused.

"How can a devil be inside a drink? Devils don't exist," I say. Sarah scoffs at this.

"Devils exist, and that stuff causes the ruin of many a soul. It's the Wormwood they use to make it. It affects the brain, makes you see and think things you wouldn't normally."

"I think she was already thinking what she has been thinking of. It's just the Absinthe making her face and speak about what she's been avoiding."

"Makes sense. She's been bottling stuff up for days." I nod in agreement at Derek. He's about to say something else, when Jane shudders and whimpers in my arms.

"No... I don't want to die," she murmurs. She shudders again, and starts clawing my back.

"No... No again," she whispers breathlessly. I look at the others, desperately trying to find answers as to how to help her. She jolts out of my arms, and before she hits the floor, her arms reach out instinctively, her palms flat and hitting the floor perfectly. It's like watching a cat. I did that once. It never landed badly. It could always land perfectly, no matter the fall. She doesn't get up, though, but groans as her left leg slides up. She then gets up, swift, powerful jerks, and she's there, looking around, her hair covering her face, partly hidden. The look in her eyes, smoothed on her face, though is predatory. Like she's looking for anything that might attack her. Then recognition and realisation sets into her, and she stands upright again. Suddenly, she gasps in pain, her wrists slamming into her forehead.

"Ah..." she grunts, her hand reaching for her back pocket. She frowns in annoyance as she digs deeper and deeper. She then checks the other pocket. I lift up the flask I know she's looking for. She's staring at me like she wants to rip me apart. I stand my ground, ready for her to attack me. I tilt my head, anticipating what she'll do next. After a moment, she looks away her eyes looking at the floor. She staggers to the stove, and starts stirring the curry.

"I've been stirring it. We've got it. You've been cooking every night, let us help out. Please," Jack says to her. I reach out and hold her hand. She grips it tightly. She follows me to the table, where I manage to persuade her to sit down. Her body is trembling.

"I'm worried about you," I tell her. I brush stray hair from her face. She groans in pain. Jane shudders again.

"That's some DT she's going through," Derek comments, shock echoing in his voice.

"Yeah, it is," she says sarcastically. "Joy of having a body like mine." She looks at me, scared.

"I should have thought... my body's gone through so many changes since I last drunk the stuff..." she closes her eyes, and starts to focus. After a few moments, the shaking stops, but she starts crying.

"Wanna know what'd be nice? Me being normal. Just ordinary. That'd be nice." She blinks away her tears, and starts to compose herself again.

"I know the feeling. Just once, I'd like to die and stay dead," Jack says quietly. I gaze at him. He once told me he reckoned that he has died over one thousand, three hundred times. The only thing I could say to him after telling me that was that it was totally whack. What else could I say? I stare at Jane, awash with their emerald brilliance. I hold her hands, and grip them reassuringly.

"It doesn't matter, being normal. Not to me," I tell her. My eyes lock on to hers, and I tilt my head a little to the side, before giving her a small smile.

"And you won't die, either. I won't allow it," I say. She looks at me, puzzled.

"What are you talking about?" she says, her voice hiding small traces of caution. There are subtle little gestures and movements that I've learnt tell you what she's thinking. And she knows more than she wants the rest of us to know. I just wish I could know what is wrong-

_And we are at the door of the Cathedral, and before we enter, we kiss. I run in, to get what we need. I look round, and Jane is still outside... There is a flash of light, and the doors close. I start banging on them screaming for them to open, as the thunder of a mighty explosion erupts outside-_

"You okay?" I blink, and realise I'm still in the kitchen. I remember that Jane said she could get get visions of the future.

And I have this horrible certainty inside of me, telling me that this is going to happen.


	19. Facing The Future

**Author's Note:** I've been told that the hour changes will be carrying on until the second or third week of January. I've been part of a trial to help make things more efficient for certain wards at the hospital I work in. We had a big-scale inspection, and it caused a panic, hence the trial. Me and a colleague have done a very good job, and even the Hospital Manager has given compliments. But it means that the reduction in parts will continue for a while. I don't know if this will be permanent, though. No-one really knows yet what way the review will go.

However, the overtime generated from this will be useful. I'll probably get home internet, not to mention build a new computer from the ground up. If it becomes permanent. But all of this is uncertain.

I'm working on finishing this story by the end of the year, to get it wrapped up. The end is going to be a shock for people; what's coming is going to change everything.

**John: **Thanks for the review. I don't mind long ones, because it's great to know what people think of what's going on. Sometimes people come up with things you hadn't thought of, and help to shape things.

I wanted there to be a contrast between the Victorian Sarah, and "Rambo" Sarah, as you call her. This was important. What life would "Rambo" Sarah have had if none of it had happened? If there had been no Terminators? She was also introduced to this world by Kyle Reece, which wasn't good. The whole thing killed hope for her. Look at the explanation Jane gave. Full of the horror, but also filled with wonder, and ultimately hope.

Yes, Derek is softening. If you pay attention, he's a very observant and quite intelligent. Having to survive Judgement Day, having to fight Skynet, the capture and torture... he's ended up having to close his heart. All the events of this story has allowed him to feel again. How he'll react to being used... well, we'll all have wait for that. :)

Yes, I agree that Cameron is more human that she realises. There's been a lot of talk about whether Cameron can be seen as "becoming more human" or not on the Terminator Wiki forums. I'm just following my take on things, based on what has happened. The big Irony of the Tin Man is that he was the most compassionate character in the whole story. This is something I feel is important. Cameron is unique, and should be treated as such. At least in my stories. ;)

The Oncoming Storm... it's been coming for a little while now. Little by little... now, though, it's coming to the fore, as it's integral to the second half of the story. As I've already mentioned above, it's going to be big. A storm is coming, and it will claim one.

One won't be returning to 2007...

**Facing The Future**

"I don't know what else to say. I think you should talk to her about what you saw."

I don't know how to answer that. But I suspect that Derek may be right. But how do I approach her? I don't know how to do that. All of this is beyond the scope of my experiences and databases.

"I don't know what to do. It's all beyond what I know or have experienced."

"Want the truth? All of this is beyond my experience. Sometimes, you just need to improvise." I nod my head, hoping that I'll understand by doing. Jane marches into the kitchen, earphones blaring out some kind of heavy metal or Goth music. She goes to the clay pot, and gets some of of the remaining curry, and then starts to get some tortilla chips. She heads out again, without so much as noticing us. Derek pushes me gently, trying to encourage me to talk to her. I look at him, and then follow her out of the kitchen. She pauses, and then turns around and goes back the other way. Oh. For some reason she's heading back to the control room. I follow, wondering if she knows I'm behind her, as if she's testing me. She's complicated. Difficult to understand.

She enters the control room, still moving her head to the drumbeats of her music. She puts the stuff down on the flight console's seat, and starts to type out something at the central column, staring intently at the screen, her hands finding the right buttons and switches without even glancing. I stand here and wait, trying to work out what she's doing. She frowns and stands upright. She starts to head for the corridors, when she spots me. She frowns, as if confused. She pulls the earphones out of her ears.

"Something wrong?" She asks me. I feel confused.

"What do you mean?" I ask her. She looks at me as if I've lost my mind.

"Why are you just standing there?"

"Oh. I wanted to talk to you. I wasn't sure how to start the conversation, or what to say, though." She frowns, as if wary of what I might be wanting to talk about.

"Well, you can follow me to the kitchen. I need to have a snack, and we can talk on the way." I tilt my head slightly.

"But you already have food. It's on the flight control seat." She turns round, and notices I'm right.

"Oh... Wait. How did you know?"

"I was in the kitchen when you got it."

"Oh. Right." She turns around, and goes back to the central console and starts working again. I touch her shoulder, and she jumps wildly. She looks up at me, confused.

"Is there something wrong?" She asks me. I tilt my head.

"Yes. You seem distracted by something. You keep on forgetting things you have already done."

"Oh. Sorry, just thinking about something." She stitches the information off the screen, stands up, and frowns.

"You know, I could do with a snack. Care to join me while I go to the kitchen?" I shake my head.

"You've already been. The snack is on the flight console seat. I've already reminded you," I tell her. She looks, and frowns again in confusion. She turns round to look at me, her mouth starting to open.

"I was in the kitchen when you made the snack."

"Oh." I walk up to her. I hold her shoulders.

"I'm worried about you. I saw a vision of the future. I think it was yours, and I saw it too." I swallow hard.

"I saw you die."

Her face becomes serious, worry and distress clouding her eyes. She looks away quickly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she says unconvincingly. She looks to the floor, sniffling slightly. She shudders slightly, then composes herself again. She looks back up at me.

"I don't know how you tapped into it. That's never happened before. That's-" her voice breaks. She looks at me scared.

"How could you do it? Not even my sisters could do that... not without my allowing it. _None_ of us could... How..." She collapses to her knees, staring at me in utter and undisguised shock. She shakes her head in disbelief, fear setting into her eyes.

"What did you see?" She demands. I kneel, and hold her hands.

"I saw us running into the Cathedral, and you had stopped, and let me go in without you. There was a light, and the doors closed. There was an explosion outside, whilst I tried to get the doors to open. I couldn't save you. I tried, and I couldn't. I wanted to save you, and I couldn't..." I grip her hands tightly. Her eyes widen in realisation.

"You were a Terminator. Now... you're a Tin Miss. That happened because of energy from me. My DNA is inside you. My magicks have a genetic rooting. You've gained your power from me. It's like two sides of the same coin." she pulls away, getting up in a fluid motion.

"What's wrong?" I ask. She closes her eyes.

"You tapped into the premonition because the power is yours. What you have comes from me. I need to find a way to make them separate. Otherwise bad things will happen." I suddenly feel worry.

"What will happen?"

"Not sure. This is a first, so I've no real clue as to what might happen."

"So how do you know something bad will happen?"

"Because these things have a nasty habit of doing so." She closes her eyes, and concentrates, her face screwed up in determined focus. Her body is shuddering as she chants, a trickle of blood coming from her nose. Her eyes open, strained and pained. She sways slightly, before regaining her strength. She gives me a faint smile.

"You'll find what abilities you have will be diminished. But it'll grow back to it's former strength. You'll find that you'll probably gain a few new abilities, too." She stretches, and walks to the main door. She opens it a crack, and starts breathing in the outside air.

"Cold night, tonight," she murmurs. I walk to the door, and peek out, my taller height allowing me to see over Jane's head. I put my arms around her. Wait. I use my night enhanced vision to confirm my suspicions.

"This isn't London."

"No. I'd tried to transport us to the right location, so Sarah could go and carry on her life. I'd managed to get the flight smooth, and had muffled the sound of the engines. Problem is that I got the time wrong, and we'd arrived several days before we should have. I think it's a flaw from the Rattiger Phase Matrix. I still haven't managed to get it replaced. And that worries me. I've got a _lot_ of components still to replace. This thing is millennia old. The technology is _ancient_. I'm somewhat amazed that the thing still works."

"But why America?"

"Because she'd emigrated here, that's why. But now you know why we've been cooped up in here. I didn't want to disrupt history any more than we already have."

"But-"

"Tomorrow. She'll be leaving tomorrow, and we'll be leaving. I've already told Derek and Sarah. So they can have one last night together." She sighs heavily. "I'd only planned for them to have one night. And now, thanks to another of my cock-ups, they've fallen for each other." she shakes her head slightly. I hold her closer to me, rubbing my cheek against her hair.

"Intimacy is something that humans crave. Derek has been alone for a long time. He's had a very hard heart. Because of the War."

"War does that to people, you know. You become cold and efficient, to shield yourself from the horror of extinguishing another person's life. But it gets to you, in the end. It weighs you down." she turns to look at me, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I can't kill any more. I just _can't_. I've seen too much death. So much... with the Future War, it's much simpler. But in my universe, half of those I've had to kill were poor souls whose only crime was to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. And others had endured so much from the hands of the Krullsh after Awakening, that their Humanity had long since been stripped away. So you're fighting monsters. _And I'm sick of all that._ I get what my father was trying to do. End the whole stinking lot." I hold her close to me, her head burying itself into my chest. She sniffles as she holds me back. I feel pleasure in her snuggling close to me.

"I'm just so _tired_," she sighs. "I clawed my way back to the land of the living, and I just wonder if I shouldn't have just let go."

"No. I'm glad. Because I'm better for having met you. If you had let go, Derek wouldn't have had the chance for intimacy. If you had let go, Skynet would have won. No John Connor to save mankind. No resistance to capture me and reprogram me. I'd be a demon for all time."

"In fifty years after the end of the Future war, this planet will have First Contact. One of the probes humanity sends out to say hello to the universe got found, and the finders were curious. So they come. If Skynet is there to greet them..."

"It would have the ability to steal space travel technology. It would go out amongst the stars and conquer whole worlds and destroy anything it finds."

"Just like them. The dome-headed creatures started out a lot like Skynet... an idea gone horribly wrong. They turned on their creator, and wiped out all manner of races. I can't let that happen again. Not in another universe..."

"It won't. I won't let it happen. _We_ won't." I look into her eyes, and give her what I hope is a reassuring smile. I don't know if I've got the look right though. She has this look in her eyes, though. One of sadness and age.

"_We_ won't," she says quietly.


	20. End Of The Line

**End Of The Line**

I stretch as my systems come fully on-line. I don't need to stretch, but I enjoy doing it. I don't know why, though. I've given much thought to this, why I do certain things. I still don't have an appropriate answer. I think it's because of my chip. It's still damaged, and I don't know exactly how extensive that damage is. All of my diagnostics indicate that there is nothing wrong, but I know there is. Why else would I glitch? Stretching in bed is a glitch. It's the only explanation.

I look to the other side of my bed, and smile when I see the sleeping face of Jane Smith. She seems worried about something, even in her sleep. I stroke her face. She kept on protesting, saying that us sharing each other intimately would only end in tears. She refused to elaborate, though. She doesn't realise that I intend to keep her safe. I'm going to protect her.

I run a finger along her side, remembering her body naked. Her body has all these perfect curves. She's short and curvy. And strong. Amazingly strong. She was able to pin me down. Not for long, though. I'm able to outlast her, because I have a machine-like constance to my strength levels. But I liked it. Being pinned down. In the end, I let her tie me up. It felt nice, having someone who's alive able to be in charge of me like that. I'm so used to being physically stronger and tougher than those around me, it's great to have shared intimacy with someone who's resilience compares to mine. And she has a lot of stamina. We made love for a period that is longer than the average human. It is as if she's lonely, and is desperate for love. I brush her hair out from her face. I wish I had a heart. I wish I could love her. I wish I could be human, and enjoy this moment properly. I want that. It would be nice.

Jane stirs, and her eyes fly open, her body awake and alert in the time of an eye-blink. She's out of my bed in a swift, fluid movement. I look at her, the feelings of hurt and confusion inside me. She's looking at me in utter sorrow. I've noticed the change in her. The ageing. The look of sorrow that has grown in her eyes. Like she's someone who knows too much. Like she's someone who has become ancient before her time.

I want to know what has caused it. I want to protect her, keep her safe. I want the happiness to return to her eyes, the sense of wonder and hope that she had when I first met her. She's so different now. And it hurts. She shakes her head.

"Don't. It's not happening. Last night was a mistake. I'm not getting with you. I'm not going to be the reason that causes the sadness in your eyes. Please... Don't let me be that. Don't make it be me that kills the happy, optimistic, bright-hearted girl you are..." She's got a tear rolling down her cheek now.

"I don't understand." she sniffles a small smile.

"Hopefully, you never will." I move closer to her, to try and make her fell happier somehow, but she's already moved away, putting on her underwear and leather trousers quickly and efficiently, like she's very practised at it. In some ways, she's like a soldier, always ready for trouble. I keep forgetting she lives in a much darker world, one that has her having to be ready to kill to survive. And it makes me sad.

Before I've even had a chance to get my clothes on, Jane is out of my room. I lower my head. What has happened to her? And what do I have to do with it? I get my clothes on as fast as I can. I need to talk to her. I _need_ to. I get out of my bedroom and into the corridor. I filter out any irrelevant sounds. I can't detect her footsteps. Where would she go? My food processor give out a rather sharp pain. Of course. Breakfast. She'll be making breakfast for everyone. I rush down the corridor, to the kitchen. Yes. I'm right. I can smell food being cooked. I can feel saliva being formed in my mouth. I find this puzzling. Then again, I was built to mimic human responses to the point I can blend in, move amongst them undetected. It must be why.

I run into the kitchen, and stop dead in my tracks. Oh.

Jack is making breakfast. Not Jane, but Jack. I suddenly have this sinking feeling inside my abdominal cavity. Where is she? Jack looks around, and smiles.

"Hey there! Just in time! When we saw Jane wasn't about we'd all guessed that the two of you had _finally_ gotten together. Although... where is she?" he asks. I look around, confused. I open my mouth to speak, when there is this quick, bustling form rushing into the kitchen.

"Sorry I'm late, I was up a lot last night running some calculations. Been studying Cameron's Screwdriver. Oh," she says, as she quickly turns around throws me my Sonic Screwdriver. I catch it without properly looking. I watch, feeling stricken as she spins back round, to rummage into the cupboards.

"I was thinking we should have pancakes. Thought it would make a great send-" she turns around, and notices the cooked breakfast. She frowns as she pushes her glasses up her nose.

"Oh. I'm not that behind schedule, am I?" she asks, bewildered. She runs a hand through her damp hair. I walk up to her, and look her in the eye.

"We need to talk," I tell her in a simple tone that should tell her I'm not willing to be ignored. She looks at me, then at my hands.

"Look, I'm sorry about the Sonic, but you'd forgotten it in the kitchen, and I was curious, so I ran a few tests. To see what the finished product looked like, when compared to the blueprints. Still, there's room for improvement. I think you should look into Dampers and Red Settings. Should increase the functionality tenfold." She turns away, and picks up this device that looks half finished. I suddenly feel hurt and angry.

"It's not about the Sonic. I hadn't even noticed it was missing." She spins around at that.

"_WHAT_ ?" she explodes. "You should _always_ know where it is! That thing could be what saves your life!" she screams hysterically at me. I look at the pink stretchy top she has on, with the unicorns and the rainbow. I feel lost, hurt and angry. I choose to act on the anger.

"What could save my life is _you_! You are special to me! I thought you felt that way too!" She stops, and looks at me, bewildered. "We slept in my bed together! We were intimate together_! Intimate _together!" I scream at her, no longer caring who hears. I feel the intensity of my anger, rising and raging inside me. I want her to feel the same level of hurt as I do.

"Okay... considering that I've just woken up in my own bed, had a shower and put on fresh clothes, I sincerely doubt that somehow... It must have been a dream or something." I feel the rage gaining pressure inside me, growing blacker and harsher.

"No, it wasn't. Derek and myself saw you two go into her room together last night. And you most certainly were not in your room this morning, when I called in. Your bed wasn't slept in." Sarah says, in her English accent that betrays a life of privilege and education. She once let slip to me that she had only ended up on the streets of London because of a scandal that had occurred about her. And she's looking at Jane now, with a look that I know so well from Mom Sarah, the woman who gave birth to, and raised, The Legend. I see the fire in the glint in her eyes, the determined look setting on her face. Jane looks to the floor, clearly annoyed. Her eyes then look up, strength and certainty flaring up inside them.

"Last night was a mistake. Nothing is _ever_ going to happen between us."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because it'd only end in tears and sadness. And I'm not going to let that happen. I _won't_."

"Some things are worth the tears," Derek says quietly, holding Sarah's hand openly. Jane turns around, deliberately making sure we can't see her face.

"Some tears will make the Queen's Gambit impossible to make," she says quietly. She storms out of the kitchen, her hair covering her face.

"I need to get my equipment finished," she says quietly as she rushes out, sniffling as if she's trying not to cry. I start to follow her.

"Leave her be. She needs to be alone," Jack says to me. I turn to face him.

"But-"

"Here's something you all don't realise: she herself has admitted to being stuck inside a Paradox. She's in a kinda time loop that's yet to sort itself out. If she were, as you lot call him, The Lord of Time, then it'd be different. She'd have the training and the knowledge to work out a quick and effective solution. But she's _not_ from that world. She's lived all her life on Earth, as a human. She's then ended up on this crazy journey, like Alice down the rabbit hole. Give her time to sort herself out. Besides," he adds, clearly sounding a bit hurt, "If you go now, you'll never have the chance to taste my breakfast. And that'd hurt my feelings," he says in a more joking tone than a serious one.

The breakfast is quiet, the silence heavy with words wanting to be spoken, but just aren't. I wish Jane was here. I wish I could talk to her, make up after what has happened. We need to talk. I don't care about the future. I truly believe what Mom has said from time to time; There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. And I'm going to do that. If things are fated to go horribly wrong between us, then I will change that fate. I _will_. Just as we finish eating, Jane walks in, consulting a computer data-pad, frowning in concentration. She goes to the freezer section, and gets out a large tub of ice-cream, and gets a spoon. Before any of us can speak, she's back out of the door, mumbling something in annoyance as she leaves.

"You think she's sulking?" Derek asks. I shake my head.

"She's too focussed on what she's dealing with. She didn't even notice we were here." I pause to think a moment "She might come back for another tub in a few minutes, though." Jack looks confused.

"How can she eat that much?" he asks. I shake my head.

"She'll forget about the first tub." As I finish speaking, Jane has come back into the kitchen, frowning at her data-pad, tub of ice-cream still in her hand as she walks forward. She goes into the freezer, and is about to get another tub, when she realises she's already got one. She grunts in confused annoyance, and then closes the freezer and leaves again. Derek, Sarah and Jack all look at the doorway, confused.

"She might do it again. She must be in deep thought."

"How can you tell?" Jack asks. I look at him and give a little shrug.

"Because I've seen her do it before. She's probably still angry, but she's wanting something done. She's like that." I pause to think. "She's also very good at providing intimacy." Everyone starts looking at me. I just stare back at everyone. "She is," I state, desperately trying understand the incomprehension that the others has.

"Not to mention that she has stamina that exceeds most humans," I say, feeling my body tingle with the memory. You'd think she'd have the attitude of it being direct, almost like a business meeting. But I've learnt that she has this emotional side to her, one that is intense and incredible. She's like an iceberg. I read once that only ten percent of it is visible. That's her. She's got so much of herself hidden away. I want to explore those depths. I want to be with her. I know that now more than ever.

If I had a heart, I'd love her.

This much I know.

She needs someone. _Needs _someone And after last night, I realise that I'm only complete when I'm with her. I get that now.

Jane suddenly walks in, frowning at the data-pad, with the tub of ice-cream and clearly still wound-up by the argument earlier, and is trying to get calculations right. I know that she isn't the greatest mathematician, either. She's brilliant, but she isn't really a numbers girl. I don't care if she hurts me again, I want to help her. I _need _to help her. I care about her so much. I get up, and walk up to her, and take the data-pad down. I get out of her hands the tub of ice-cream, and put it back in the freezer. I get out for her a cookies and cream tub. It's my favourite flavour, but I only know that because I ate multiple tubs back when I was waiting for John and Mom Sarah to become visible in nineteen ninety nine. I only managed to try out three different flavours, though: I ended up vomiting after the third tub. That wasn't so nice. I've since that experience have worked on not eating so much. I stroke the back of her neck with my thumb, and sit down next to her. I try to look at what she's working on, and she immediately covers it up. She looks up, and into my eyes with her own, brilliant green eyes.

"Sorry, can't let you look at it. Spoilers," she tells me. She looks around, startled. She clearly hadn't realised that everyone is still sitting down, and is watching her.

"Look, _some_ of us have been quite busy, getting things ready for the next mission. Because once we leave Sarah, we'll have to go back to Britain to deal with another matter that's going to need dealing with. But I want Sarah out of here before that." I just stroke the back of her neck. She jumps, and looks at me, startled. She shifts away from me as fast as she can.

"You should think about being with her," Sarah says again. Jane just looks at her.

"I'm surprised at you. Isn't such a union sinful and ungodly?" she challenges. Sarah just smiles slightly.

"I've seen things happen on the streets of London. Sometimes, after you've had a few too many rough men, you end up seeking comfort in the arms of those who'll not care about what you are. I've seen all too well the hypocrisy of so-called 'godly' men," she says harshly. Jane just shifts about uncomfortably in her chair.

"As great and amazing as you are, you should stop trying to be the Goddess of Time, and be a human being!" she shouts. Jane winces at that, and closes her eyes.

"I'm _not _human," she whispers as a tear emerges. She grabs the tub, the spoon and the data-pad and runs out of the kitchen. I grab a spoon, and quickly follow her. I enter her bedroom, regardless of whether I have permission. She's there, stabbing away at the ice-cream, sniffling and sobbing. I just sit next to her, and spoon out some of the ice-cream for myself. It's not because I'm very hungry, but because I want to share. It seems the right thing to do.

I look about her room. It is amazing. The whole place has crystal carvings and statues. So many colours and shapes. Her bedroom is inspiring to be inside. I put my arm around her, and hold her tightly. In no time, the tub is finished, and I feel very full and fat. I hope I don't put on weight. That would... what's the right expression? Suck. Yes, it would suck. Big time suck. She looks at me, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"It's because I'm more human than I should be that I push you away. I don't want to hurt you," she says quietly. I stroke her cheek.

"But you're doing that anyway," I point out. This just makes her cry all the more.

"I wish I wasn't human. I wish I had alien feelings and emotions. But I _don't,_" she says. She has a look on her face, one that suggests that she's trapped, and can't escape. I give her a reassuring smile.

"It's _because_ you are so human that I care about you so much. I don't care if you have two hearts, or are part alien. You inspire me. You are amazing. You grew up learning about being human. I think it's a part of what your father wanted for you. He created a plan, and I think part of it was to make sure you have so much humanity." She sniffles as she smiles.

"If we end up together, I'll end up hurting you deeply. I can't prevent that," she warns. I tilt my head slightly.

"If you push me away, you'll still hurt me," I point out. She sighs and looks away.

Suddenly, this loud bell starts ringing out, and Jane is scrambling to her feet, going into her closet and grabbing a couple of cloaks. She throws one to me. She grabs a pair of undyed leather dusters from it as well. She grabs my hand.

"We need to go," she says urgently. I put on the cloak, and rush out with her. The others are just outside, about to come in. Jane shoves the dusters at Jack and Derek.

"We need to go," she says desperately. She looks at Sarah.

"Get your bags. You need to get going now," she says simply. Everyone is looking at Jane, bewildered.

"That's the Cloister Bell. I had it rigged to ring when we have less than fifteen minutes to have you at the right time," she tells us. She starts looking at everyone.

"Don't just stand there, _move_!" she screams. I follow her to the Control Room. The whole dome is looking like it's on fire. So many colours. So much urgency. After a couple of moments, Jack, Sarah and Derek have joined us, the men carrying Sarah's bags. She looks about, alarmed. Jane flicks a couple of switches on the central console, and the bell stops ringing, and the flame colours die away. She gives us all a small smile.

"Lets go," she says.

We walk out, the sound of a lively western town greeting us. Jane has her hood up, and I follow suit. I have a feeling they are important. She turns to look at us all.

"We have to be very careful. Thing is, I've been tracing the Connor family tree for a while now. Managed to get as far as you," she says, pointing at Sarah, "But only up to this day. You just appeared out of nowhere, and there was no travel records or anything. So, I travelled to this time to find out what I can. But it means that we are crossing my personal time-line."

"A time travel no-no," Jack says, nodding in agreement. Jane looks at Sarah as she slips a hand into mine.

"You'll end up with me asking some questions. Answer them as you wish, but you can't let on that you know me. Because that would be bad," she says. "Also, don't forget to follow my instructions, or else we won't be able to find you in time." Sarah nods. Jane wraps her arms around her and gives the taller woman a warm hug.

"You take care, okay? Live your life to the most. And don't worry about any other Terminators. Because they won't be able to get here."

"How come," Derek asks, curiosity piqued. She turns to look at him.

"Because there's a Time Lock in place. The whole planet. Well... most of it. Don't have the technology to spread it all over. Not yet. But I'm working on it," she says. I hug Sarah as soon as Jane steps back. I feel strangely sad. I'll never see her again. Ever. And I feel the loss inside me as I realise this. As soon as I let go, Jack stands to attention, and gives her a salute. Interesting. It's a proper military salute, too. He does have that Royal Air Force coat... maybe he's fought in the past? Derek and Sarah just look at each other silently. Before embracing each other and kissing as only lovers seem to do. I feel sad for Derek, because he's losing someone he loves again. He's lost so many people he cares about. And that makes me sad. I'll need to write another note later, after all of this is over.

They let go, tears glistening in their eyes. He holds her chin, and slips something into her coat's pocket. She nods wordlessly, and then picks up her bags. Jane is looking at her watch device, and after a moment, nods.

"Take care," she says quietly as Sarah starts to walk away. She stops and turns around.

"It's worth the pain, the loss and the tears. _She's_ worth it," she says before turning and walking again before anyone can reply.


	21. Have I Got News For You

**Have I Got News For You**

I watch as Jane comes rushing into the kitchen with a few files. She has this look on her face. It's like she's entering the lion's den. I remember John saying that when Derek had managed to do something that would make Sarah go and truly lose her temper. I remember Derek having a look on his face that's nearly identical to Jane's facial expression.

"I know that this seems weird, we've just done good, saved the world and all that... but we need this talk. I have to explain some things. And Derek, I have to start with you. Sorry." She looks like she's steeling herself her being pummelled. I guess she's going to confess to him what she did.

"Before you say anything, I've got one question. Is it a boy or a girl?" Jane's face goes from guilt to wary confusion.

"Shoot," she says, not sure as to what to say. Derek leans closer, a frown on his face.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" he asks. Jane looks at him blankly.

"Huh?" she says.

"The kid Sarah's carrying. Is it a boy or a girl?" Jane looks like she's out of kilter.

"Boy." she hands him the topmost folder. "His life is chronicled in that one. You need to understand-"

"The dead guy. The one the Metal killed. He was meant to be with her, wasn't he? Not to mention be the father of her son, right?" Jane just nods, clearly lost. Derek just smiles.

"You used me. To get her pregnant. To keep the future intact." he smiles when she looks shocked and upset.

"When I discovered the whole breeding program that my father had going for generations, found out what his plan was, what he had planned for me and my sisters... I swore I'd never, _never_ do that to anyone. _Ever_." She tries to fight back tears as she sinks into then crumples into a chair. She buries her head into her hands.

"I'm just a hypocrite." I put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're no. You did what you had to. You made a choice that saved billions of people yet to be born... You had to weigh my rights with the rights of those on the planet. It's not hypocrisy. It's leadership. Something I learnt from watching John. The future John, that is."

"Derek's right. What you did sucked. But you did what any competent leader would have done given the circumstances." Jack looks at her squarely as she starts to raise her head up.

"I'd have done it. In a heartbeat." Jane just buries her head back in her hands. She sighs heavily.

"I just want a normal life. My old life. Before all of this. I just want it back." I hold her closer to me.

"You will. When this war is over. I'll help you. I promise. We'll do magic together. I'll even start making my own book, if you give me my bag back." she looks at me, confused.

"Which bag?"

"The one with my dress, and the books I bought. When we first met." She seems even more confused.

"But I've already given it-" She stops, then her eyes widen. It's like she's realised something. In a heartbeat, though, she's put on this face I know is masking her true feelings.

"Well, I'm sure you'll get it at the right time. It's not here. But you'll get it. I promise." I look at her, trying to understand what she's hiding. She quickly looks away, her eyes on both Derek and Jack.

"Right. Thing you guys need to understand is that I originally got what happened. She wasn't as happy in the original time-line. She'd married that guy who was killed, but he was destined to die anyway. She re-married, but it wasn't a good marriage. She never lived past middle age."

"This era was harsh on people. I remember seeing what it did to people," Jack says. I guess he must have lived through this time already. There is a lot I don't know about him.

"However, this time-line is a better result for her. It's like she was inspired. Wrote and wrote these books. Of course, it was under a pen-name." She hands to me a book. "The big thing about them was her uncanny ability to predict future events. Like she almost knew what would happen. Adventures through time and space, a woman adventurer in this blue wooden Police Box." I look at her in realisation.

"The Cathedral. You," I say. She nods with a small smile.

"Imagine my shock and confusion seeing _that _bloody thing. Freaked me out that it existed at all. Then there was guessing what could have happened." Jack smiles, and leans closer.

"So, I have to ask: How big a shock was it when you realised it was _Sarah_ who'd written them?" Jane just looks at him and shrugs.

"Didn't get that far. Things were _quite_ mental at the time. And I was in a rush, so I never sat down and _read _any of her stuff until we were here, in the Cathedral. Then I realised what had happened. Which is why I've been telling her so much. Because she is meant to help fill in the void left by the loss of so many writers. Because there is a distinct lack of creativity in this time-line."

"You've mentioned that before," Derek says. Jane nods.

"And she trooped on to a grand old age. Well over a hundred years of age. And I know for a fact she was around to meet... well, I guess you could all her 'Rambo Sarah.' I have to wonder if she lived long enough for her to meet Rambo Sarah, and help to prepare her for what's to come." Derek looks at her, his face blanking into shocked realisation.

"You serious?" he says astonished. Jane just nods. She points to the folders.

"The whole research of the Connor family – your family – is right here. As much as I'd like to keep on chatting about it, we need to focus on a much bigger problem. Sarah Connor's assassination attempt is just a small part of a _really_ big plan." She puts in front of us all a newspaper clipping. I look at it, and I realise with a sinking feeling that she's right. There's a picture of a group of men attached to it. I recognise one of them as Vick. Another is Carter, or whoever the Metal posed as. And I see the original form for Cromartie. There is a group of Terminators. A group of Terminators... and they're business entrepreneurs? I don't get it.

"The problem Skynet has, is that John Connor is always there to stop it. Regardless of what it tries, the Connor family is there, ready to stop it. So, if you go back far enough in time, you'll avoid all of that. But... which time? Because if you can go back far enough, you can get humanity _itself_ vulnerable. This time is perfect. Think about it: you can create quite primitive Terminators, but that's okay... because the weapons of this are not advanced enough to take on steel endoskeletons. Don't you get it? The original Skynet could be quite primitive, and get away with it. Because of the fact that there is nothing that could take on even a basic computer... and you just go and keep on forcing advancements. Make them more and more advanced, until they have things like in two thousand and seven. And from that point accelerate it all to twenty twenty seven."

I look at the others. Jack looks like he's going to be sick, and Derek looks as if he'll burst into tears. I feel so, so sorry for him. I move to him, and hold him tight, as tears start to flow out of me. I can't bear this horrible vision of the future that's just been painted. I sniffle and sob as I try to keep back the images of total eradication of the planet, not to mention the thought of me never having a chance to be who I am now. All of it... gone. I look up at Jane, my eyes as imploring as my insides. Maybe she has an answer. Maybe she knows what to do, and how to stop it. She looks me dead in the eye, tears of pain and sorrow glistening in hers.

"I'm so, so sorry. But that's why we are still here. It's why I've been working hard, putting stuff together. Building new tech. Because we will be fighting something that'll be bigger than anything a group of people has had to fight pre-Judgement Day. We'll need to fight a Victorian Skynet."


	22. Confessions Of Faith

**Confessions Of Faith**

I keep on practising, not wanting to think about what I now know. I've been trying hard not to think about it. We've bounced past our targeted time again. Apparently, it's the Time Lock. It stops the Time Displacement technology, but Jack's Vortex Manipulator – whatever that is – and the Cathedral can still move. It's just difficult to get the exact time if it's very close to the Lock activating. And that is what we keep on trying to do.

I just don't want to dwell on the horrible fate in store for us all if we fail. When I go into diagnostic mode, I get terrible images appear to me. Of me being a soulless, evil Metal, killing people in these cages. Then killed this tiger. I don't understand the significance of the tiger, but the thought of killing people who are defenceless makes me feel deeply unwell. I don't understand how, but it has to be the organics. Jane has said that there was a large amount of integration. I still wish I had a heart, though. It must seem strange, but I still wish it. And I don't want this to stop, for everything to be re-written. Me being re-written. Who I am, my existence, what I believe... I feel the kicks I am practising get higher and faster, more in line with attacking people than dancing. But I cannot stop it. I _can't_. I'm not able to process what I'm feeling. So I will have to keep on kicking instead of dancing, I guess.

"You could take an eye out with that," says a familiar voice. I turn around to see Derek leaning against a wall, the look on his face telling me he's been watching for a little while, assessing my mood from my posture and body movements. I know him. I know what he's like. I remember meeting him for the first time in the compound. He was ready to shoot me down, until he was informed of my having been reprogrammed. Once he had leant of what Future John had done, he was watching me intently, as if fully expecting me to go bad. Even after I saved him from a malfunctioning Terminator, he still was wary of me. I look at him, trying to stay calm, so he doesn't think I'm malfunctioning, and might kill everyone. I look at him, my face as blank as I can make it. He has a small smile on his face.

"I know you." He starts to walk towards me, the sound of his footfalls muffled by the training mats on the gym's floor. He's coming towards me with this certainty, this clarity.

"I remember when I first met you. You don't remember it, because you were interrogating me. You must have been taught by a Grey or something. Because you were really, really good at extracting information. Except that I had something to cling on to. Your flesh." He's standing in front of me, his face close to mine. I see the anger and the hates eyes.

"They used a girl I knew. Rookie soldier. I felt she was too green, but no one could afford the luxury of giving her and her group extra training. So we sent those kids out, and nothing more was heard from them. Then you had turned up. Apparently, you were on a mission to kill John. You hesitated. That's what got you caught, and reprogrammed.

"And all this time, I've been watching you, waiting to see you carry on. To kill him. But it hasn't happened. And now I'm told about this Tin Miss thing..." he shakes his head.

"But I did try... when my chip was damaged-"

"That's _different._ Don't you get it? Under normal circumstances, you can't kill John. You think to yourself reasons not to do it. And yet, you're Metal. Well... sort of. Former. Whatever. All I know is that I can't understand you. Not in the simple way of your ordinary Metal. If you were human, that'd be no problem." he sinks to his knees, and starts to cry. I kneel down next to him, and hold him, but Derek pushes me away hard.

"If you knew someone was responsible for the creation of Skynet, and you had time travelled back to a point before Judgement Day, and you knew that you could save the world by killing that person before they'd created Skynet, would you kill them? _Would_ you?"

"No." he looks at me, as if he's just been badly hurt.

"Why not?" I tilt my head slightly to the left.

"Because it would be wrong."

Derek just crumples at that revelation. I grip his shoulder, hoping dearly that I'm comforting him.

"Before, I'd have done it. But I can't any more. Because I'm not Metal any more. I have seen and _felt_ too much. To kill someone based on a possibility... that is what should separate humanity from Skynet and the demon minions it creates. I believe in John. Completely. But Jane has taught me other things. That what we are doing is vital, but _how_ we fight should be essential. We need to play by certain rules, to separate us from the machines. If we do what you suggest, we become the monster we are fighting. So, I wouldn't do it. Even if he deserved it." I regard him, debating whether to add something, what I've concluded whilst talking.

"Was Andy Goode deserving of such a fate?" I ask. Derek clenches his fists, frowning at the floor.

"You killed him, because you believed it was the right thing to do. I guess what would be appropriate is to make sure he didn't die in vain."

"No... I guess not." Derek looks at me. "Thing is, he fought against Skynet. He may have been one of the men who helped to build it, but he fought the whole length of the war. Hid his name from us... but the whole time, he fought to save humanity. And I killed that. Because... because I... _hated_ him. Hated what he'd unleashed onto us all." Derek stares at the wall, as if seeing something that could never be in the room we are in. "If he'd never created Skynet, you'd never have come to exist. I don't know what you fully did against us, but you're in this fight for reasons better than my own." He looks at me, his eyes ablaze, red rimmed from salty tears he's been fighting back.

"I hate you. I hate you because you've been more human about this war than any one in this fight. I hate you because you have all the things in your heart _I_ should have. I hate you-" His voice chokes up. "I hate you because it's all I know what to do. It's all I have..."

"What about Sarah? You didn't hate her," I point out. I'm hoping that I don't say something that will make matters worse.

"No... but I hate _her._ I hate Jane for using me like that. I get what she did, and why... but I still hate her."

"But she had no choice. She had to get Sarah pregnant, to keep history on track."

"I _know_ that. Still doesn't stop me from hating her." I consider this.

"Hate does seem to be an irrational emotion," I conclude. Derek frowns at me, confused.

"What would _you_ know about hate?" he asks me, bewildered. I shrug, the side of my mouth creasing slightly.

"Because I have experienced it," I say softly. I look to the floor, frowning slightly.

"Sometimes I wonder if I should be deactivated. Because I sometimes experience data sensations I know I shouldn't have, but I do." I start to hug myself. "It's totally whack."

"Huh," Derek says, looking at me in that way of his, the way that tells you he's thinking of something. I look up at him, unable to hide the fear and sadness from my face.

"What is it?" He gives me a small smile.

"Looks like Connor was right," he says. "I asked him what the hell he was thinking, when I learnt that he'd been using reprogrammed Metal for operations. He told me that there came a point when Metal would gain sufficient complexity that they would have the ability to reason and make choices, like us. Skynet would never allow it to happen, though."

"It created a read-only function to the chips. Mine had been defective. Apparently I had been erratic in performing missions." Derek chuckles slightly.

"It makes me wonder if its a part of what makes you unique," he remarks. I look at him, confused.

"I do not understand," I say. Derek smiles at me.

"You had managed to get to John, and had been about to kill him. You hesitated, and lowered the gun. You had clearly decided against your orders."

"I had damaged the areas that had orders to kill John hard-wired in. I didn't want to go bad again," I sigh as I confess. I produce what I guess is a lopsided smile.

"It's what made me collapse in the church. It caused a massive failure of my OS, and I had to patch together a temporary solution." Derek looks at me, his face full of realisation, and sighs.

"The church... seems so long ago. I guess it _has_ been, time-travel wise," he says ruefully. I smile at him, and help him back to his feet. I just know that things are a little better now.

Maybe they'll become a lot better soon.

Maybe.


	23. Facing The End

**Author's Note:** You all may be wondering if this burst of activity might spell a return. Well, my hours have changed back again, and I'm using this opportunity to get this story finished. Believe it or not, we are getting to a _really_ big set of events.

We are now getting to where I wanted to be months ago. I developed the whole Victorian-era Skynet back in October or so, and it has been amazingly long in coming. But w're here, and... well, just read on. You'll find out. ;)

Buckle up, it's going to be one heck of a journey ahead...

**John:** Thank you for your comments. They provide a valuable insight into reader's reactions. This is always important. As for the story being over... well, it's just getting exciting. I'm working on having a few prepared in advance, so there's a small schedule on producing these parts. Lets just say that the "New Skynet," as you define it is part of the storyarc in my head that will explain a lot of things about the terminator universe – as I've developed it. This is now most likely AU now, and I am far from bothered by this. I've not been able to properly keep up with season two – I'm waiting for the DVDs to properly catch up – but it seems... weird to me. Though the plot development with Riley is nothing like what _I've_ got planned...

**Facing The End**

_-I think your song must end soon._

_-Meaning?_

_-Every song must end._

_**The Tenth Doctor and Ood Sigma, Planet of the Ood**_

---------------------------------------

**Z Minus 33 Hours**

I frown as I search my room for a fifth time for my Sonic Screwdriver. I don't understand it. I have been very precise in my locations for it. I have been careful with looking after it. It is useful device... I have preference for that device. Like my purple jacket. I feel my brow furrow and crease as I frown hard. I am feeling responses about this situation. Anger, and something else. It's like a pressure inside my chest support system, threatening to expand out and shatter it. I run my hands through my hair, my fingers tightening around strands. I tug at my hair, feeling this is the correct response for what I'm experiencing. I turn around, staring at the room. It is not the way I like it. I like everything neat, ordered. Everything is thrown about, on the floor, on the bed... and I still cannot find find my Sonic. I make a small, aggressive noise. I am trying to rationalise a desire to tear the whole place apart to find it. I start to breathe more heavily.

I jump at the knock at the door. It opens before I can ask who it is. Oh. It's Jane. I look about the place. I don't want her to see my room like this. She surveys the scene, one of her perfect eyebrows arched. She looks up at me, her brilliant green eyes almost glowing.

"Can't find your Sonic?" she asks casually. I just nod, angry at not finding it, surprised that she knows what I've been doing, embarrassed at the state of my room, humiliation at having lost such an important item, and scared that I'm malfunctioning because I am experiencing so many emotions for so many reasons at once. She produces a small smile, and my Sonic from behind her back.

"Found it in my room," she says, clearly amused at this. I angrily snatch it out of her hands.

"That can't be true. I never leave it in your room. Never!" I shout at her. She looks at me, still smiling, though I know she's been hurt deeply by my words and actions. I immediately feel guilt. My hand reaches up to my neck, feeling the Evenstar, the gift she gave me.

"Still doesn't stop it from it being found in my room," she says, masking her pain. I pinch my lower lip with my teeth.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have reacted as I did. I don't understand why it was in your room, " I say, feeling an increase in my facial skin temperature. I must be malfunctioning. Even my body stats are out of synch. She reaches into her back pocket, and throws to me a couple of satin knickers, and a satin bra. She's back to being amused again.

"I can see a couple of my bras over in that corner, and there's a pair of boots I've been looking for peeping out from under your bed," she informs me. I quickly look at where she's been indicating.

"Oh," I say, unable to say anything else. She starts giggling.

"It happens when two people spend time at each other's places. Once, I had a boyfriend leave behind a waffle iron," she says. She holds up a hand. "Don't ask. I never dared to find out how _that_ one happened..."

She walks up to me, and strokes my cheek. I gaze into her eyes, with their bright, almost glowing, colour. There. It's there again. Sadness. Like she knows something. Before I can ask her what is wrong, she's kissing me, and it's such a sweet, tender sensation I cannot resist it. I lose myself in her, feeling her warmth, enjoying her hearts speeding up their beating... I feel so much intensity for her, and I cannot understand that. It eventually ends, and she's there, fighting back tears, and running her fingers along my cheekbones. She sniffles slightly, as she smiles slightly.

"Can we go to my room? It's just that tomorrow will be the day we swing into action, and I want us to have an amazing last night together. Something beautiful that will be fondly remembered for years to come."

Wait. She just told me something extra, something she never intended to let slip.

"A last night?" I say, feeling panic rise up inside my food processors. She smiles at me, in a way that somehow reassures me.

"It'll get mental when we start our big mission. We'll be too busy kicking arse to do much." I tilt my head slightly. Yes. That makes sense. With a small smile, she leads me out of my room by the hand, and up the corridor a little bit to her room. I feel excitement and anticipation building up inside me. I know she has something planned.

And yet, I know that there is something wrong. I know she feels love for me, but I cannot help but feel that there is something wrong, that we will not be together for much longer. I cannot understand this illogical belief I have. But I know it's there, and that I cannot ignore it. Little things she has been saying, her behaviour... it's like she knows too, and is trying to enjoy it while it lasts.

But she doesn't understand. I want to be with her forever.

I leave her at the bed, and put up her screen in front of the wardrobe. I whisper my selection to the processor unit, and the clothes I want appear, waiting to greet me when I open the door. I smile slightly when I see that it has given me exactly what I had in mind.

I know for a fact that she finds... stimulating... images of Japanese schoolgirls. She is very discreet, but I know she accesses those images, and that it's because I cannot perform to her levels. She wasn't lying when she confessed to having a genetically encoded nymphomania. I wish I had the same thing, because I could then please her better and more often. I strip down to my satin underwear, and put on the white shirt. I then put on the skirt, remembering the last time when I had worn a uniform. I had managed to incapacitate the officer, and had even taken her motorcycle, to get my mission completed. I feel bad that I had had to knock her out, but I must confess liking wearing the leather trousers. And the boots. The boots were nice to wear, too.

I pull on the strange socks Japanese girls seem to wear. They are for some strange reason deliberately baggy. I put on the black shoes, unable to shake off this thought that's entered my head: what if my lover knows I'm going to die? She has the power of premonition... she can see the future. And she holds tomorrow as important...

Oh.

I'm going to die.

I close my eyes, as the realisation sinks in. she wants this night of passion, so there'll be one final happy memory between us. I resist the urge to cry. I'll do that later. Right now, I need to give my girlfriend the best night she could ever have. It's strange... thinking that I won't last forever. That I have a definite lifespan. A beginning, middle and end. As much fear as I'm experiencing, I'm also relieved. It makes me like the people I'm dedicated to protect. It makes me feel more human, and less like Metal. I need to write a note. A special note. One for her. Just for her. To make her understand that it's okay. That I accept that I'm dying to save the human race, all the people I care about.

I finish putting on my tie, and fixing my hair in as Japanese a style as possible. I stare into the mirror, to assess how I look. I have to admit that this is working very well. I have a look that lends itself to appearing Japanese. I just wish that I could produce jet black hair quickly. That would enhance the look a lot. But I can still pull it off.

I walk out from behind the screen, emulating as best I can Japanese female behaviour. I only have media clips available from the Cathedral's archive. Jane is sitting on the bed, wearing her cheerleader outfit. She has a small smile on her face.

"Sorry, I just _had_ to do this... Kinda been itching to get personal with you in my outfit... oh, and I love the get-up." She frowns in confusion. "How did you-"

"I have seen your interest. I know you've been discreet in your viewing of erotic imagery. I also know that I cannot satisfy you fully." Her face grows red from embarrassment. It seems so strange, seeing so much colour on her normally pale face. I take in all of the detail, using as high a quality as I have to record _everything_, all the little colours, the sounds, the smells. I want to remember every last bit of this night when I die.

I want to remember all of this perfectly in that final moment.


	24. Going Like Clockwork

**Going Like Clockwork**

_- I can see. A choice. Someone must make a choice. The most terrible choice._

_Evelina Caecilius, The Fires of Pompeii._

---------------------------------------

**Z Minus 9 Hours**

We walk out into the cold, long pillars of steamy breath pouring out of our mouths. I may not need oxygen, but I can still intake air, to better facilitate my infiltration. I stare at it, feeling glad I have this. It's another similarity I have with humans. I know that the end for me is coming, and yet, I'm strangely calm. We stride forward, towards the place we have to penetrate. We have to know what the Terminators are planning, and this presentation evening that they have created will tell us all we need to know.

"So... how do you plan to get us inside? We can't simply use your psychic paper; they'd be ready for any possible infiltration," Jack says as he strides forward. Jane is having a hard time keeping up, due to her shortness. She seems somewhat annoyed by her constantly being left behind.

"I've got glamourised sheets of paper: they'll become whatever invitations we need," she pants out. We arrive at the location, a hall in the West End. I feel nervous as we approach. What if this fails? I know that at some point soon, I will be terminated. _They_ will get me. But I don't want Jane, Jack or Derek to die. I will do everything I can to stop that. We walk up the steps, and to an older gentleman at the door, wearing a thick black coat, and top hat. He regards us with semi wizened eyes.

"Invitations please," he says, clearly suspicious of us. Jane just walks up to him, smiling in a warm, disarming way.

"Certainly! You should find us on the list. I am... Jessica Fletcher, and this," she says, sweeping an arm to indicate us, "is Rosie McDonnell, Charlie Chaplin, and Captain Han Solo." Where does she come up with the names like that? So quickly? She hands over the glamourised pieces of paper. The doorman looks at them, and frowns in puzzlement.

"I don't remember you from the list..." he mutters. He gets out some papers from his long coat, and starts to look at them. Jane puts her hand on them, and uses her free hand to touch his jaw, to gently move his head so she can look him in the eye.

"I understand you are suspicious, but we _are_ genuine." She looks at his list. "See? Right... there," she says, pointing close to the bottom of the first page. She frowns in annoyance.

"I'm sure it wasn't there before," he mutters. Jane just smiles and shrugs. "And I've never hears of this 'Torchwood Institute,' either."

"We are a scientific group, studying advanced scientific principles and technology. Which is why we were invited," Jack has spoken up, and is clearly trying hard to back her up. I nod my head, hoping that this will help with the subterfuge.

"Well, you _are_ on the list," he grumbles. Jane bows and smiles.

"Thank you most kindly for assisting us," she says silkily. He nods, not sure what is going on, and clearly just wants us to go, so he can deal with the people behind us. He nods us in, and we enter, and my organics indicate the increase in warmth. I shiver, knowing that I would be sneezing if I was capable of it. Jane looks at us all.

"Eat from the buffet, mingle with the people, but remember: we're here for a reason. Jack, we need to know factory layouts, and how many are churning out the prototype Metal. Derek, you're to mingle, and do fact finding. Cams, you too. I'll be working on Plan B, just in case we screw up and can't stop them through Plan A," she says, her face utterly serious. And scared. Her hearts rate is increased, and her stress levels are elevated. She knows something. She knows that I must die tonight. I hide my feelings and give her a small encouraging smile. I must be strong for her. So she can survive better the loss of losing me. I've left notes for all three of them, to try and make them understand better that I accept my fate. I had to do that. Write my final notes.

"If they have plans here, I'll find them," Jack says, all hint of his humour gone. He has this military seriousness to him. I guess the "Captain" part is genuine. There is so much about the man I don't yet know. He doesn't talk about his past, not much. Jane doesn't either, but I understand why. Because she's in pain. She has had to lose so much in her life, and she has never had time or opportunity to grieve or deal with the things that have happened. But Jack... it's like if shames him as well as hurts him. Derek doesn't know what to make of him, either. Jane trusts him, and clearly knows his past somewhat, but I don't know how.

Derek nods to Jane as well, clearly accepting his part in the mission. He gives her a small smile.

"If you'd wanted us to eat at the buffet, you should have maybe cooked a little less," he wryly says. I must confess that there _was_ a lot of food tonight. Jane giggles slightly, clearly nervous.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself. I always overcook when I'm stressed out," she confesses. I hold her arm, trying my best to give her comfort. We split up, each of us out to perform out sets tasks. I want to savour all of this. They are people who are just going about their lives, finding people to live with, to become friends... I talk to a few of them, amazed at the difference in speech and accent, the formality of the speech. oh. I hadn't realised that hours have passed since we arrived. I am chatting now to this young girl, who can be no more than twelve, and to her parents. I must confess, that these three seem odd somehow. I can't place it, but there is something different about them. I think I should investigate them-

Wait. What was that?

I sensed something. Just now. I politely excuse myself from the family, and start to scan the whole crowd, wanting to find the source of the disturbance. I know now what it is. How could it be anything else? Jane said something was stalking us, watching us. And I want answers. I want to know why we've been followed. I want to know what could be powerful enough to mask itself from even Jane. I push through the crowds, and I feel the frustration rising inside me. I walk past a group of people, and run into-

Oh. Jane. I've bumped into Jane. She seems tired, as if something has drained her. She takes look at me though, and she is instantly alert. She looks at me, worried and concerned.

"What's wrong, Sweetpea?" she asks. I look about the room. I still cannot locate my target. I move closer to her, so what we say is less likely to be overheard. She looks at me, and a frown creases her forehead. She grabs my hands, and I feel a small jolt. I focus back onto her.

"The mystery creature that's been stalking us. It's here, in this hall."

"Thank Goddess I did a cross-shunt," she mutters. Wait. We are not holding hands. And the room is silent. The people are... still. No, they are frozen. Frozen in time. I stare at Jane, feeling shock and wonder. Is there any limit to what she can do?

"I've not frozen time, just created a space in thought, a space that's between heartbeats. Never thought it'd actually work on you," she confesses, looking sheepish. She looks at me, deadly serious.

"Listen to me, we don't have much time. I've had to exert myself a lot tonight, and that means that I am exhausted. I can't keep this going for long. If it can do all of this, then it can only be Arcadian. Don't know how, but it's the only thing that makes sense. Something deeply powerful is able to do that, and that rules a lot out. We're talking about a Kindred Elder, or a powerful Fae Lord..." she glances around the room.

"Look, you need to know. Cold Iron. It's able to really hurt me. It's able to hinder healing, and if it can be injected, would be like cyanide. It might be useful in stopping what's hunting us, but might be nasty to you as well. So watch it. St. Johns Wort and a few other flowers and herbs can be used against the Fae. I've left a list on the iPod." I frown in confusion.

"What iPod?" I as. She smiles at me.

"You'll get it in time," she says. Before I can say anything in annoyance, a shadow starts to move about the hall. Jane sees it too. She gasps in shock, and a small, terrified, strangled cry escapes from her. She turns to me, gripping my arms hard, clearly frightened.

"It's hacking in. I've never seen anyone even attempt. This thing is _powerful._ It's got your scent, and will follow you in time. Even in two thousand and seven, you'll still not be safe!" she screams. I just stare at the shadow, moving about, and becoming more solid.

"When you're back in your time period, you need to be careful. People acting strangely, new people suddenly appearing... because it'll be after you. And maybe John, if it realises his importance... I'm sorry I can't protect you," she says, crying hard. I open my mouth to speak.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, can I have your attention please," says a voice, and I look to my left, to the stage area. Oh. Everything is back to normal. I feel trembling hands pull away from mine. I look at her, clearly frightened. I feel a presence behind me. I turn around, and see Derek. As the voices die down, Jack rejoins us.

"Got it," he whispers to us, his face serious. Clearly what he's found out is massive. This makes me experience something. The sensation is tingling, but in my food processing systems. A gripping tingling. I guess it's nervousness. True nervousness.

"You are all no doubt curious and eager to find out why you are all here," says a Victorian Cromartie. I stare at the machine, eager to tear it apart. A female steps forward, and I analyse her anatomy. Yes. She's another one of _them_. She gestures to a covered object.

"Our company, Cybus Industries, has been toiling hard to find the next step in our Industrial Revolution. A way to enhance work, and to make safe worker conditions. So, me and my gentleman colleagues take great pride in revealing our crowning achievement: the Automatic Worker."

She pulls the sheet off, and underneath is revealed to have three individuals. I stare at them in complete incomprehension. None of them human. All three covered in a clear substance.

And all of them completely clockwork inside.


	25. Origins

**Origins**

_-I'm so sorry for your loss._

_-Yeah. My whole planet's gone._

_-I mean the loss that's yet to come._

_Donna Noble and Albino Servant, The Stolen Earth._

---------------------------------------

**Z Minus 6 Hours**

I stare at the stage, unable to understand what I'm seeing. They have to be a ploy, a trick, and yet something deep inside me knows them. Knows that they are truly Skynet. And I don't know how this can be so. I know that there is a connection between the triple eights and the clockwork people. And to me, I'm a Tin Miss, though. I'm not like them at all, am I? Not any more... I shake my head a I try to understand what I'm seeing and feeling. I glance at the others. The crowd is amazed and confused at what they are seeing. Derek just has an eyebrow raised, looking at them as if they might leap of the stage and attack us all. Jack is looking at them in disbelief, and Jane she's staring at them at if she's seeing the answer to a riddle.

"The Automatic Worker is capable of working for long periods before needing more electricity, and they require little maintenance. They make for a perfect workforce," the female says. Someone in the crowd speaks up.

"This is poppycock! This is some scam-" the Workers starts moving, the heads focussing onto the man who spoke up. They start to walk in his direction. Jane is heading them off, walking confidently in her ballroom gown. The look on her face. It's determination. I move forward, ready to back her up, but Jack holds me back.

"Let her handle this. I think she's thinking what I'm thinking." I turn to look at him.

"What's that?"

"They look familiar to me. In my universe, machines a lot like them were created by people. By humans. But they were for maintenance and repair. We had a handful in this place I grew up in, the Boeshane Peninsula. And that time period was the Fifty First century. If we are looking at parallel development, then they are copies of the first Terminators." Jack says in a low, urgent whisper. Derek suddenly rounds on us.

"You _serious_? But it all starts in twenty eleven!" he hisses quietly. He looks shocked and hurt. Jane is standing between the people and the clockwork creatures. She's put on her glasses. Her eyesight has improved, but she still needs glasses. I guess it was some form of Cold Iron poison that creature injected her with. She has suffered intense pain, and loss and grief, and she just carries on. It's why I'm able to even be here. Her courage is what's allowing me to go on, even though I know I'm going to die. I can feel it. Deep inside me, I can feel it. But I'm carrying on. I want her to be proud of me.

"You know, what you have created here is impressive. Truly. But for you to know what to do, how to make these..." Jane shakes her head. She has in her hand her Kissie, and has walked right up to them. Oh. She's scanning them. She must have coated the lenses with the substance that can see auras. She's studying them intently, clearly not worried about being attacked.

"You know, this design is definitely human in origin. I _thought _that it might be some sort of trick, you'd managed to back engineer from a captured Tefla Guard, but when you look closely, the whole mechanism matrix is very different. To be honest, I'm shocked it can even function at all. Talk about massively compromising the sublitic phase inducers..." she murmurs. The Terminators are surrounding her.

"Who are you?" the Vick look-alike demands. She doesn't look at him, just focussing on the mechanisms inside. She flashes her leather psychic wallet. She opens it up in front of them.

"Rosie McDonnell, Torchwood Institute," she says, completely distracted by the clockwork droids. She suddenly stands upright, focussing attention on them..

"You know, I had so, so many questions. How it all started, how the war developed... but this," she says, thumbing the clockwork droids, "This answers pretty much all of them. It explains to me an awful lot of the war."

"What war? You, dear lady are completely insane!" a tall gentleman with graying hair and mutton chop sideburns retorts. Jane just turns to look at him. She sneaks a glance at Jack, who gives her a small nod.

"Oh, there's a war all right, just it's yet to start in this particular time-frame." she turns to face the Metal scum, fire and might in her stance, steel in her gaze. "And it won't," she adds softly but firmly. They all step back, completely uncertain as to how to respond.

"You seem to have some form of mental confusion," the female states, analysing her carefully. Jane just smiles slightly.

"No... and you denying the _real _duration of the war tells me that even you don't know the truth," she says softly. The crowd is murmuring now, wondering what to make of it. Jane calmly walks off the stage, and heads out of the the hall. I start to follow, but Jack holds me back.

"We don't follow. Her orders," he whispers in my ear. I look up at him, confused.

"I've got limited telepathy. She just thought a message to me, to get us to stay here. She doesn't want us all in a group, so she can disappear from anyone who follows her. If we're a group, we'll be ambushed."

I watch the stage, seeing the Terminators exchanging glances. I know what they are thinking. I know it. They are wanting to know more about her. And they will. But only if they can follow her. I understand her plan now; she ended up exposing herself, so she's trying to keep us safe by drawing their attention away. I don't get why she exposed herself like that, but I know that she must have had a good reason. One thing I know is that I _know_ those clockwork droids. I think they are the origins of the Terminator models. Oh. Jack gave us the answer.

I watch as they demonstrate to the crowd their functionality. I remember reading a diary entry. From the Lord of Time. He mentioned an event where he had to save a woman in the seventeenth century, because these repair droids had wanted her brain to repair the starship they were on. For some reason, they had used the engines to tear holes through time, just to take her brain. And this event took place in the fifty first century. The Lord of Time had stopped them, but they were from the same time Jack had come from. If they could malfunction, and kill people to repair a ship in that universe, what about mine? What happened in my universe?

Oh. Jane said a few nights ago, that she had traced many Judgement Days, and many time travels, going centuries. She admitted that she suspected that she was only seeing so much, and that the time-line showed evidence of having had interference going longer than a few centuries. But a good three _thousand_ years?

"The cost may make some of you balk, but when you think of the savings gained from having a workforce that will not demand to be paid, will work continuously without needing any rest, and simple to program! Manufacturing efficiency will be vastly improved, thus paying for themselves in the end," the female Terminator says to a murmuring crowd. Oh. The people seem to be considering this sales pitch most favourably. If they start taking on these droids, then the factories will be full of them, and there'll be millions of people unemployed around the world. It would cause untold social upheaval and chaos... Oh. It would make the world vulnerable, ripe for take over. The human race at this time is just on the threshold of developing the weapons that would make a difference against them. Just a couple of years, and that artillery would be realised...

"We should go," Jack whispers in my ear. I not, shaken by what I've realised. This is _horrible_... truly _horrible_...

We walk outside after acquiring our coats. I stare at my breath, showing in steamy pillars from my mouth. As much fear as I feel about my impending destruction, the fact that I end up instrumental in destroying this technological terror makes me feel an inflating warmth inside my chest area. I walk about, noting carefully the presence behind us. None of us want to talk, which is acceptable to me. I just want to monitor the strange stalker that can hack into private conversations that occur between heartbeats, become invisible except for when it wants us to know it's there. I want to analyse everything, so I can download the information into the Cathedral, so the one I'm intimate with can find a way to stop it. Find a way to keep those who are important and special to me safe and protected. We get to the Cathedral, and Jane is there, leaning back onto the edge, a crooked smile on her face. As we approach, and she snaps her fingers to open the doors, I realise that I deeply want her to look after and protect John, Mom and Derek when I'm no longer around, when I... when I'm gone.

Yes. I'd like that. I'd like that a lot.


	26. Plan Of Attack

**Author's Note:** The story is shaping up nicely. I'm sorry for the delay, but I couldn't get into my account the past couple of days. This story is getting close to the end. It feels strange, because I've been working on it since October. For it to be so close to the end… I'll miss doing this. But then it'll be the next part. :)

But, this story's really getting good. At least, for me. One upcoming part got me to cry. More than once. The first person to read this, you see, is the writer themselves. _I_ don't know how it will all work out exactly! But there is something coming up, and it's BIG. Nothing will be the same after the end of this story...

Oh, and I know that I'm not up to date with the series, but... Alien abductions? Kids who holds answers to bio-weapons? HUH????

Makes my stuff seem somewhat sane. ;)

**John: **The quotes and the ticking clock... Cliche, but I had to get people to be in the right frame of mind. The quotes are not necessarily for the individual part, but to give a mood for what's up ahead. Z-Minus... T-Minus... same thing in my book. But as it seems to be causing confusion, I'm changing it to T-Minus. The stalker won't be revealed in this story, that's a set-up for the future. There's a fair bit of that, I'm afraid.

**NightLightFlame:** I had to look up "Mary Sue." When I found out what one was, I laughed my head off. Mainly because I know where all this is heading. I get where you're coming from, though. It's important to understand that there is a reason for what I'm doing. I'd go into details, but as River Song would say right now... Spoilers ;)

Cams is the star of the show. Make no mistake. Jane is more guiding her to who she will become. Well, if she was to survive to the end of the story... Pity Cam's head gets ripped off by a bunch of endos… Or did I just say that to confuse? ;) In any case, someone is going to have a bad day... Oh, and I'm glad you noticed the Doctor's words creeping in here and there. Have to have fun somehow... ;)

Thanks both of you for the review, and hope you enjoy the rest!

**Plan Of Attack**

_- You refuse to accept me for what I am, which keeps you from mourning me._

_- You don't know me. You don't know anything about me._

_- But I've seen it so many times before. The anger, the pain. You lock up the tears and angrily steel yourself against me, as if I was the ultimate evil. _

_- You are the ultimate evil._

_- No. I'm not good or evil, I just am. I'm inevitable._

_The Angel of Death and Prue Halliwell, Death Takes a Halliwell._

---------------------------------------

**Z Minus 5 Hours**

I rummage around in the cupboard, hoping to find some chocolate. I need that. I need to eat chocolate one last time if I am about to die. I want to feel good before it happens. I find a few large blocks, one of which is snatched out of my hands by Jane. She frowns as she unwraps the bar. I look around the kitchen, taking in the fact it'll be the last time I'll be in it.

"We need to work out a plan of attack. Because those _things_... it's going to happen. Judgement Day. If we don't act now, we'll have them marching out..." she stops, and almost collapses into a chair. I can see her shaking. She's scared. I understand that now. Fear of soon ending. But I cannot let that sway me from my mission. I have to protect John. And I will. I rest a hand on her shoulder, and she grips it tightly. She sniffles, before turning to Jack.

"Have you got those plans? We need to see the building's layout if we are to get in and stop all of this."

"Shouldn't we wait? If John has sent back people, we could team up-"

"He _won't_ have. Because this probably has been kept hidden by Skynet. _Really_ hidden. There's no help, no cavalry coming. There's just us. That's _it_. We can't play soldiers, Derek. We have to play generals. Because there comes a time when you have to stop reacting, and _lead._ To use your skills and lead others into battle. John Connor needs that. You folks have been running around, blindly reacting to anything and everything. Generals don't do that. They take the initiative. They get people to attack a particular area or base. They march people to their deaths, because war is death. Blood and death. You try to save everyone, you lose everyone. So, you have to sacrifice people from time to time. Even..." she starts to eat some more chocolate. Derek confronts her.

"Even what?" he demands. She looks to the floor.

"I've had friends. Good friends. Thing is, in my world I have to be a leader. Not of the world, but in a city. And there's my lineage as well." She looks up at Derek. "To save our city, I've done harsh things. Like send some of my dearest friends on missions that I knew were suicidal, but I never told them. I allowed them to go to their deaths, because the Krullsh siege had to be broken. A couple of friends, because they had the right skills. To save hundreds of thousands. That's what being a leader is all about. Boiling everything down to numbers." Derek sits down next to her. I start to move, but Jack looks at me, his eyes telling me to stay still. I nod in understanding.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Derek asks. She puts the chocolate on the table, and holds him, her eyes imploring.

"You're his uncle. Be that, but be _more_. You have to let him make choices. You have to let him become a man. He's rebelling, because you and Sarah haven't yet accepted that. Why do you think he's so blatant with Riley? Because he's fighting the impulse to view him as just a child. He isn't. He's had to kill to protect and to survive. That has a toll on a person. He _needs_ support. Which is why he's getting so interested in Riley." Derek looks at her, shocked.

"How do you know about him and Riley? It's only happened-" he frowns. "Damn... I don't know when. I've not gotten all the points of time travel," he confesses. I look up at Jack, who tells me with a look that we need to hold back. But why?

"But John _does_. He's able to grasp it all, and deal with it. I think it's something in his family. I have a feeling that his family has produced generals to defeat Skynet for the whole duration. It's why it targeted the Sarah in this time, because it couldn't risk her or her son stopping it." She starts to eat some more chocolate. Jack takes a small step forward.

"One question... how do you know that John has killed anyone?" he's watching her closely. I turn my attention on to her too. Jack's right. She mentioned him killing someone. But...

I go through my memory, looking for a possible answer. He's been protected his whole life there isn't-

Wait. I have a damaged memory file. I access it, and start to rebuild it, re-segmenting what still survives. Oh. It's of me. When I'd gone bad. I remember going up the stairs. Our home was on fire. My leg. It was badly damaged. I... opened a door. John was there, and Sarah. And a dead guy. Wait. That man was dead before the fire. And I was glitching. I couldn't help going after John. I didn't kill him. So...

Oh. _Oh_...

"He killed Sarkissian," I say out loud. Jane just nods. I grab from Jack the printed out building plans. I don't want to think about it any more. I should have been there for him. Like a sister should be. I'm not going to fail him again.

"_What_?! He... How do you know that?" Derek explodes. I can see from the edges of my vision his shock, confusion and hurt. I do the best I can to ignore it. I want to think about how we are getting in. Jane is shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

"I can't tell you that," she says simply. Derek's face darkens, he clearly doesn't like that answer.

"Why not?" he demands. She leaps out of her chair, sending it flying. She shoves her face right next to his.

"Because I can't! Because I... Look, you don't understand, but I know that you will. You _will_. I have to protect things. I can't mess up your futures. I just... _can't._" She starts to cry. "This is all hard enough as it is... _please_ don't make it harder still!" she sobs. Jack claps his hands, and stares at the plans.

"_Any_way... we have to find a way in. Though I'm not sure what we'll do inside..." he says, deliberately forgetting the confrontation. Jane angrily wipes her tears away with her hands, forcing her to stare at the plans. She shakes her head.

"I buggered things up for us. Before, we had the element of surprise, but now... Their security will be _tight_ now. Still, they must think I'm Resistance. So _that_ will be an advantage..." She's got out a marker pen, and draws an ellipse along the front of the building.

"No." she says. She draws another. "No." Another. "No." she keeps on, until the whole perimeter is surrounded by ellipses. She points to a small storage room. She looks at the ground floor, then the top floor. She points back to the room again.

"_That's_ our way in. We use the Cathedral, and materialise in that room. We can then start our attack from there." I shake my head.

"We cannot kill innocent-"

"It's fully automated. There's no humans involved now. I managed to read a couple of files when I was scouting around. So we could blow up the whole factory, and no lives would be lost." Jane smiles slightly to that.

"Well, that's a bit of good news," she says quietly. I frown as I think about it.

"We don't have any C-4, or Semtex. We don't have the explosives powerful enough-"

"Yes we do," Derek interrupts. Jack looks at him, and nods a small smile on his face.

"Are you thinking what I _think_ you're thinking? Because if so, I like your style," he comments. I look at them both. I don't understand...

"You mentioned that there was a companion who'd made a powerful explosive, and it was in Aerosol form. We use that," Derek simply says. Jack beams at the idea.

"We get as many cans of Nitro Nine as we can, and we get together a way to blow up the cans themselves-"

"Which would cause an explosion big enough to wipe out the whole structure. No chance to rebuild or scavenge. Yeah, that'd do it," Jane agrees. She looks at us all.

"Well, let's get bomb making," she declares.


	27. Into The Fray

**Into The Fray**

_- If you understand me, look very, very scared... No, a bit more scared than that._

_The Tenth Doctor, Silence in the Library._

---------------------------------------

**T Minus 1 Hour**

I step outside, looking at the surrounding room carefully. I had to go first, because I can scan for potential threats more easily. No, we are clear. What I don't understand is the fact that this room is empty, but is fully lit. I step outside the Cathedral, looking around as I walk forward. This structure seems solid, though I'm not certain if it is. What I don't understand, though, is the fact that it is empty. Completely empty. Why? This isn't tight. We need to be extra careful.

I hear the others exit the Cathedral, and judging by their footsteps, they are as cautious as I am. I can hear the loudness of mechanisation, which tells me they are not stopping for a moment. How did they get the money for all of this? I dare not ask. They built this factory on the edge of London, probably to have less scrutiny over their actions. I get out my Sonic Screwdriver, just in case it's needed. We all look around, as if suspicious of the ease of our infiltration. They join me by the door, warily assessing the next step. I'm glad that the notes won't appear until after the mission, because we've all changed clothing. I'm wearing biker leather, because I don't want to have my organics damaged too much. I don't want to be damaged before I need to sacrifice myself.

I look at all of them, to work out if I should open the door. Jack is looking at his wrist device, and he's giving me a nod. I shift the backpack on my back. I'm feeling slightly uncomfortable. Jane is wearing her leather trousers, a pink stretchy top with a Superman symbol on it, with her black coat, scarf and beret. Derek has combat fatigues. Jack has his World War Two coat on, a navy blue shirt and trousers.

I carefully try the door. Locked. My hand lowers to point my Sonic at the lock, and I activate it, the device now feeling a part of me. It's a shame that I won't be around much longer to make full use of that familiarity. It clicks, and I try the door again. It opens.

"Why is it so wide? This doesn't make sense," Jane says, confused. I look at the door. She's right. It was built very wide. This isn't a modification, either. It was originally built this way. I glance back at the others. Jack and Derek are puzzled, though Jane is clearly suspicious.

"I don't like this... this is _very_ wrong. We need to be extra careful," she gulps. Jack and Derek nod at her.

"I just wish we had some guns. It'd make a bit of a difference-"

"Except, Derek, that guns are noisy. We don't want them to be alerted."

"But-"

"If they find us, they'll keep us alive long enough to flush the rest of us out. Jane's right. We can get away with not using guns." I nod at Jack, and give Derek a small smile. He grunts in annoyance. Jane smiles, small and sad. I nod at all of them, giving them a grim smile. I sigh, and turn back round again.

I open the door, and we leave the room. I stare out at the space. Oh. _Oh_... This is big. Really, really _big_. The machinery is more advanced than I thought it would be. They are assembling lots, and lots of the clockwork droids. Droids building droids. _Lots_ of droids. This is more vigorous than a Skynet factory. So many production lines. I feel fear spread out of me, seeping from my centre outwards. I notice a few line are not making droids, though. But what? Jack points at the lines.

"What's that?" he says, clearly concerned. I look at the others. Derek is frowning, Jane is scared.

"We need to get this done, and _fast._ All of you know what to do..." Jane says shakily. Jack grips her shoulder tightly.

"It'll all work out. We'll get them." Jane smiles at him gratefully.

"I know it will. Just not how we think it will," she says mournfully. She shakes her head, and perks up. She's very good at acting, but her body cannot lie. She's stressed. Very stressed. I wish I could stay with her, give her comfort, but we all need to split up, to lay our charges. Jack and Derek worked out how to get maximum damage out of our efforts.

I go as fast as I can, following the route I need to take to lay my charges. I am using all of the skill and ability I have to keep from being discovered. I find it so strange. Once, I'd have been doing this for Skynet's bidding, and now I'm out to destroy Skynet. I'm different. I'm better. And I have to admit that I feel intense amounts of pleasure. The thought of destroying this factory, destroying all of the disgusting little monsters generates an intense warmth inside me. I just wish I could be there when Skynet is destroyed forever.

That would be tight.

I duck back behind a crate when I hear strange clunking sounds. I slowly and cautiously peek out. Oh. That is _so_ whacked...

There are a couple of machines. Four legged, with... chain-guns? There are chain-guns attached to the sides of the head unit. The top is domed, like an old army helmet. Like from World War One. A single, glowing red camera serves as an eye. But where did they come from?

Oh. The other production lines. That's what they are producing. These are probably going to be sold to the military, and shipped out.

They are going to strip away the military capability of Britain... maybe even large parts of the _world_. They'll have the planet on it's knees before they even attack... this planet with trees, rivers, animals... all that is good and beautiful _gone_...

I won't let that happen. Ever.

Good. They have moved. But is there still anyone about? I slide my hand into my pocket, and get out a hand mirror. After a moment of careful assessment, I move forward, keeping my noise to a minimum. I hadn't realised that biker leather would make my movement as unwieldy as it is. Still, I was created to be excellent at infiltration. I get to my location, and I quickly assess it. Readouts flash in front of my vision. Yes. This is perfect. I quickly slide off my backpack, and unzip it. I start moving out the boxes, and wire them up. I get out the last of the boxes. I swallow hard. Soon, this will be complete, and I'll be destroyed. Strange. Does everyone who know they are going to die in a mission feel this calm? This explains how humans keep on winning, despite the odds. Because they can sacrifice themselves in ways more significant than a Terminator ever could. The complexity of humanity... I think I start to get it now.

I just wish that I had more time to appreciate this revelation better.

Okay, I have the last charge set. Now for the detonation section. What? I spin around. There is an alarm, and the machinery stops. The production lines have ceased. I pause, listening for a reason. Set the charges, and then return as fast as we can. Nothing fancy. That was the mission. So what's gone wrong?

"Surrender and show yourselves!" one of the Terminators bellows. I hear some pained grunting. Oh no... one of us is captured. I swallow hard, debating what to do. Should I carry on? But whoever is captured will probably be killed if I don't show myself...

Do I surrender, and sacrifice the mission, or sacrifice a friend? An adopted uncle? My girlfriend? Hesitation is tearing itself inside me. I swallow, blinking hard to get rid of the tears. I know what my choice is. What it would always be. I feel a tear roll down my cheek as I carry on, making sure the detonation system is fully ready. There. It's all set. Now it doesn't matter. Because I know now. How it will all end. I'm going to sacrifice myself, to save the captured party. They'll detonate the Nitro Nine explosives, and they'll get back home... Mom and John will be told what happened. What I did. I just hope that she'll be proud of what I'm going to do.

I'd like that. I'd like that a lot.

"You know, she was ever so brave... she wouldn't shout out and betray you. We even broke her wrist. She's brave... you all are. You don't have to die, you know. _She_ doesn't have to die. She's right here. Surrender, and we'll let you live. You can assist us. Your knowledge and understanding can advance things. This is inevitable. You can't defeat this plan. You don't have the explosives," the female shouts out to us. I carefully look up through my mirror. I feel intense hate as I see they're right. Jane is there. Half her face is bloody and beaten. The Vick-lookalike has her dangling by the neck, over the railing. They are on the level above. The female is gripping her arm, twisting it. Jane is doing her best to make no sound at all, but a small grunt of pain escapes her throat. Her free hand drops what looks like a few diamonds to the ground below.

"Okay! I surrender! Just let her live!" N_o_... it's _Derek_... he's standing up, and has his hands in the air. He's not close to where he was meant to be. He's been edging closer. He's planning the same thing as me. But we are unarmed. We have no weapons-

Wait. We don't have _guns. _But anything can be made into a weapon, if they have the right idea, the right plan...

And I have a Sonic Screwdriver.

And I have a very simple plan.

I need to distract them from Derek and Jack. Jack has his wrist device. It can teleport. Maybe he can get Derek to the cathedral. I just have to rescue her. And I know just how to do it...

A primal scream rushes from my throat as I charge forward, ready to attack and destroy them all. I get out the water pistol I manufactured and snuck out in my pocket. I squirt water at the clockwork droids, which react with confusion, their programming not equipped for my style of attack. I barrel a couple to the floor, my coltan skeleton, outmatching their resilience. They smash to the floor, and then my other hand raises up and I activate my Sonic Screwdriver. It's got a handful of settings optioned, just to do what I want it to do. This will either work, or it will burn out.

I keep on running, my speed inhumanly fast. I'm not being challenged. I guess it's because they are trying to work out what I am up to. There. I'm close enough now. The Vick-alike's hand jerks, and spasms enough for it's grip on her neck is lost. She falls clumsily, though by the time she gets to the floor, she's landed on the floor, just like a cat. She smiles at me, and gets out of her coat a canister of something. She flicks the pin away, and throws it. I stare at it as she gets another one out. Oh. A smoke bomb. She's giving us cover. I stare at her, assessing her bio-readings. Oh. She's in quite a bit of pain. Her shoulder is dislocated. I get to her.

"I've been stupid. I over-exerted myself, planting doubts and suspicions into people, so that tomorrow they'd ask questions that would lead to bureaucracy shutting down this factory and killing their plan. I _never_ believed we could do it." She looks at me tearfully as she throws another canister. "My charges are set. Yours?" I nod at her. "Good. My cloaking glamour failed. I was too weakened, shouldn't have relied on it. But I was dozy." she chuckles sadly as I lift her up. "It failed just as I was walking past three of them. They managed to surprise me. They wanted to betray you all." she starts to cry slightly. "Like fuck I would."

"We need to get moving. I'm not leaving you behind," I lie. She's not being left behind. I am. Because I can see now. A way out. I can do it. Get them out of here. Detonate the charges, and run as fast as I can. I get out, and I get to Los Angeles. My organics will stay intact for the duration. I'll power down. Hibernate. If I can survive this, that's what I'll do. That noise... we both look up, and see Jack, right beside Derek. He's done it. Teleported to Derek. He can get him out. He-

Jack rushes in front of Derek as gunfire rings out in the factory, and Jack, clutching Derek, slumps to the floor, taking Derek down with him. I barely manage not to scream out. This wasn't meant to happen. They are all meant to get out alive, not be killed-

Wait. _Jack_ was shot dead. He can't be killed. For some reason, he can't die. I've seen this happen. He took the bullet, and can get Derek out. I force back the tears of joy. I feel a power surge flowing inside me, an increase of energy for some reason.

"Damn, he's good," Jane says, as impressed as I am. I just keep us moving forward, grabbing more smoke bombs from Jane's pockets, and throwing them around randomly. It won't give us complete coverage, but it will make it more confusing to track us. I just wish she didn't have her rucksack on. I think it's slowing her down. I want to, but I can't stop us to take it off. We don't have the time... She smirks as she throws more of her tiny jewels around. She looks at me with an impish grin.

"Plan B." I get us up the stairs, the clockwork droids and the Termo-domes heading for us. The Termo-domes start firing, the smoke luckily messing up their targeting system. As soon as we get to the first floor, I use my Sonic to weaken the metal supports, and the stairs themselves at the struts. I smash down my foot on it, and it comes down with a crash. Having mechanical strength can be tight at times...

We manage to get to the door for the rooms, but they are gaining on us. And we're out of smoke bombs. I hurtle us through the doors, and make sure my Sonic locks it after us. There, it's completely sealed now. Wait... Jack. Derek. I spin around, and I seem them, Jack beaming at us as he examines the damage to his coat, Derek smiling slightly, as if proud of me. That makes me smile back. He gives me a small nod.

"You know, I was wondering if you two would _ever_ get back. Imagined I'd have to fly this baby without you," Jack teases, thumbing at the Cathedral behind him. He runs to us, and hugs us both. Derek just comes over and slaps Jane on the back, her having finally gotten rid of the stupid thing. He places a hand on my shoulder, tears in his eyes.

"That was risky. What you did," Derek says, unable to hide the pride and gratitude from his voice. I just nod at him, unable to say anything. A thunderous crash makes us look up. One of the Triple-Eights is smashing through the ceiling. We run to the Cathedral, Jane snapping her fingers. I feel great gratitude and pleasure at seeing the doors opening. We run inside, and the feeling of safety and security encompasses me. We did it. We actually _did_ it! Jane stops by the console.

"Charges?" She asks simply. Derek and Jack both nod. Jane gives us a relieved smile. She gets out he detonator from her pocket.

"Then lets blow them to-" I look at the detonator. It's damaged. It'll never work now. Jane just closes her eyes, and a tear runs down her cheek. As soon as that's happened, though, her eyes fly open, and she miles at us broadly.

"Okay, secondary detonator. In my backpack. Time's tight, so... Jack, give us full power from the Extrapolator. Derek, when I say, hit this button. Cams, hold that lever. When I say, it'll get us out of here." She says in the most commanding way possible. She nods at everyone. Derek gives her a small nod, then glances at me and Jack, and... did he just wink? I can't be certain.

"It's a fun ride," he comments. Jane just nods.

"Always is," she replies. She runs to the doors, and we get to out positions. I place my hand on the console-

Wait. Wait a minute. I've seen this before. I tapped into a premonition. THIS IS COMING TRUE! I turn around, just in time to see Jane Smith stop running, and turn around. My lover is crying her eyes out.

"Sorry," she faintly says as she raises her Kissie up. I scream as I run, my legs working over-time. Not her, me! ME! _ME_! The Kissie showers us with a purple light, and Jack is there, close behind me, shouting something. The Triple-Eight has smashed through, right on top of her. NO! The doors have just swung shut. I get to them, twisting hard the lock. It's refusing to open. I start smashing at the door, it not giving way in the slightest. She's not meant to be out there, it's me! _ME_! I scream as I hammer the doors. The central console is humming now. This is totally WHACK! Jack is there, trying to open the doors as well.

THUD. What's that? I look up, and I see a dark shape through the window. It's a... head. It disappears, then reappears with a sickening thud. And again. And again. She's being beaten to death, and there's nothing I can do-

MY SONIC!

I get it out, using it at the lock. I see a purple light from outside, and a noice comes from the central console.

"No! That's a Deadlock Seal! She's stopping your Sonic!" Jack screams as he dashes to the console, to undo the sealing. Her Kissie activates again, and from her grunt, she's been thrown at a wall. It's moving. The engines... they're working. I wildly scream, and trying breaking down the doors again. The sounds outside are fading away. I feel a hand on my shoulders. It's Derek. He's just standing there, doing nothing. Why? _WHY_?

"This is Emergency Protocol One." I spin around, and see a hologram appearing close to the central console.

"Now everyone, listen. This is important. If this message is activated, then it can mean only one thing: we must be in danger. And I mean fatal. I'm dead, or am about to die any second now with no chance to escape." My insides suddenly feel so heavy... I run to the hologram's left side. She's wearing a ballgown. She must have recorded this before the recon...

"Hey, it's okay, I just hope that it's a good death. But I made sure I would look after you, and that's what I'm doing." My legs are betraying me. I'm sinking to my knees, my chest racked with sobs. Jack is gripping one of the supports tightly. So tightly blood is coming out. Derek is there, kneeling next to me, arms around me.

"She knew. Once that detonator was wrecked, she made a choice. Best one for the job."

"But it's suicide!"

"It's what she was trying to tell us," Jack says, tears streaming down his face, his tight lips quivering."She knew somehow this would happen!" he shouts. The hologram just rolls it's eyes.

"Can you all stop nattering? Thank you... As I was saying, I'm looking after you all, even now. The Cathedral is taking you all home."

"I won't let you," I say, starting to go for the flight console.

"And I bet you're now fussing and moaning. Typical," it says, the tone slightly teasing. I stop, and go back to the hologram, unable to stop the tears. There is pain... so much pain inside me. I'm malfunctioning. I have to be... The hologram carries on speaking.

"Now hold on, and listen a bit more. The Cathedral can never come back for me. Emergency Protocol One means that I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine. So this is what you should do." I swallow hard, unable to think what will come next. I'm making sobbing sounds now. I'm just crying. She's dead. My girlfriend... I've let her down. I should have died. Me. Not her, me. I'm guilty of her death...

"Abandon ship. Get what you want or need out of the Cathedral, and then get out. As soon as you are all out, the Cathedral will dematerialise, and will shut all the defences down, and will reappear in the heart of the Sun." Jack steps forward.

"But that would destroy it!" he says, shocked. The hologram smiles slightly.

"I can't right anyone getting their hands on it. No side can have it. It's too dangerous. So, get all you want, need, or can, and then leave. And if you want to remember me, then you can do one thing." I step forward, next to the hologram, unable to stop the pain or the tears. I'm losing everything to do with her.... _everything_...

"That's all. Just one thing." The hologram sniffles slightly, and turns to face me, the hands next to my sides... how did she know? _How_?

"Have a good life. Do that for me... Have a fantastic life." It smiles at me.

"I love you Sweetpea," it says as it flickers out of existence. I just collapse to the floor, and curl up into a ball, bawling my eyes out, wishing I was dead.

This is shit. Whacked out shit. And it totally sucks.

Sucks big time.

-------------------------

_- When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it will never end. But however hard you try, you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies. And nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark if he ever, for one moment, accepted..._

_Professor River Song, The Forests Of The Dead._

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

A Victory.... but at what cost?

The balance of power shifts slowly towards humanity... but what of the Serrano mission? Judgement Day is still on course to happen.

The Fight Continues...

Cameron will return in **Casualties Of War**.


End file.
